Echos of Evil
by MzDany
Summary: Power Rangers Ninja Storm with quite a touch of otherworldly magic. When a powerful evil sorcerer from another dimension joins forces with Lothor, the Rangers in turn must team up with the sorcerer’s sentinel to prevent the end of their world...
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: My version of the quintessential "Good versus Evil" story. _

_Although this is **not **a crossover with any other fanfiction genres, it is comprised of elements from quite a few fandoms, including Lord of the Rings, Mystic Force, Star Wars, King Arthur, etc. So, yes – there will be magic :)  
_

_But unfortunately, other than a light Blake/Tori, there will be no 'shippings' this time. Sorry, folks! But stick around anyways – you might like the OC's!_

_

* * *

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**ECHOS OF EVIL**  
By Dany  
PG-13

Summary: Power Rangers Ninja Storm with quite a touch of other-worldly magic.  
When a powerful evil sorcerer from another dimension joins forces with Lothor to take over Earth, the Rangers in turn must team up with the sorcerer's sentinel to prevent the end of the world as they know it…

_Prologue:_  
A peaceful, balmy darkness of night had descended over the vast valley of The Light in the magical realm of Ithrandar. In the village at the foot of the sacred hill that was home of the Temple of The Light, only very few windows were still illuminated. The darkest hour of the night was swiftly approaching and most of the villagers were sleeping the deep slumber that came with the knowledge that Evil had been cast out of the valley once more.

A dozen weeks had passed since the Guardians and the High Wizards of The Light had, in an unprecedented display of strategic ingenuity, swordsmanship and magic skills, managed to finally capture the Dark Sorcerer, Luthien. This latest spawn of the Evil Powers had thus far been the most powerful of them all and had spread terror and destruction over the land. Not one corner of peaceful Ithrandar had been spared and great parts of this once beautiful country now lay in ruins. Even with the combined efforts of all the Guardians and wizards versed in the magical powers of The Light, it would take many seasons to recover from this dreadful devastation. Everyone – from the mighty High Wizards and the brave soldiers of the Guardians down to the simple village craftsmen and farmhands – knew that the peace would not last indefinitely.

It was merely a temporary truce; once recovered from their defeat at the hands of the Guardians, the minions of the Evil Powers would doubtlessly come forward from their hideaway in the Black Mountain and attempt to wreak havoc upon the land once more, but without one of their most revered leaders, this would fortunately take much longer than normal.

This Dark Sorcerer was presently kept imprisoned deep within the fortress of the Great Temple, headquarters of the Guardians of The Light. Kept in suspended animation by a spell so powerful that it had taken the combined efforts of all the High Wizards of The Light, he lay in deep slumber ever since his defeat. He was a man of unfathomable powers; therefore, no other means of confinement would do.

During the battle, the sorcerer had managed to gravely wound the captain of the Guardians, and for several agonizing days no one could say whether he would succumb to his injuries. But in the end he had pulled through and after his recovery the exalted captain had taken it as his personal task to guard the sorcerer against anyone trying to break the sleep spell.

So intent was he upon not failing in this duty that he took an extraordinary measure; he convinced the High Wizards of The Light to cast the charmed sleep upon himself as well. Thus the uninterrupted guardianship of the enemy of the people of Ithrandar was assured until the Dark Wizard would expire of natural means, for the captain's spell was altered to be interrupted only if the sorcerer's spell was broken or after he had taken his last natural breath.

Or so it was supposed to be.

The three shadows creeping through the night at the edge of the forest knew nothing of their master's personal sentinel. All they knew was that they had been appointed the task of freeing their lord and returning him safely to the realm of the Evil Powers, the Black Mountain. Failure was not an option; on pain of death they had taken an oath to fulfill this duty.

The Black Sorceress, mother of the imprisoned dark wizard and queen of the Evil Forces, had handpicked the three mercenaries, for they were the most powerful remaining wizards in her evil army.

Those three now crouched behind the trunks of some ancient oak trees, scanning the imposing stone structure of the temple of The Light on the hill before them.

The first wizard made a disgusted noise in the back of his throat. "I am loath to enter this place," he snarled as he glared at the temple.

"As am I, but this has to happen _tonight_," his companion replied. "You know why; the powers of the Evil Forces are at their height during a lunar eclipse and the Guardians know this not."

In perfect synchrony, the three mages looked up to where the round disk of the moon was nearly fully darkened by the shadow of the planet, making it nearly indistinguishable against the blackness of the sky.

"And we must take advantage of their ignorance this very night, for there will not be another darkening of the moon for many seasons to come," the third wizard and appointed leader said.

The first one nodded. "Aye, but where would He be?"

"Her Majesty the queen predicted that he would most likely be held in the Guardian tower yonder." The second wizard pointed towards a high tower in the northwest corner of the temple. Through a narrow arched window in the upper part of the turret, they could see the flickering lights of torches. In unspoken accord, they extended their minds towards the room beyond the window, searching until they felt the familiar magical vibrations of the Evil Powers. Then they looked among each other and nodded. They had found their lord.

"Let us make haste now, Brothers," their leader said, "and free our master!"

The unfortunate sentry by the entryway to the tower never realized death was approaching until it was too late. Moments later, the three intruders were on their way up, climbing the winding staircase to the chamber silently and near invisible in the shadows.

The two guards in front of the upper chamber's door at the top of the stairs were half asleep, therefore they were slow to reach for their swords. The three wizards were on them in the blink of an eye. Blades flashed and cries were choked off as two of the intruders took care of the sentinels while the third pushed through the door and into the room beyond.

And there he stood for a moment in the flickering light, blinking in bewilderment.

The circular chamber was completely devoid of any furnishings or decorations save three torches in their sconces along the walls. But before him on the floor sat a rectangular stone vessel – a sarcophagus of some kind, yet twice the width of an ordinary one. It was lidless, yet the brightly glimmering force field of Light-magic that was stretched across its four corners was plainly visible even from a few feet away.

Joined by his two brethren, the dark wizard stepped closer, eyes widening when he saw the reason for the crate's unusual dimensions.

Inside the sarcophagus – in identical poses on their backs with their eyes closed - were not one but two bodies. One they recognized immediately as their master; the face of the other was foreign to them, albeit not the hated uniform of the Guardian of The Light which he wore.

Their leader gave a snort. "This explains why the tower was but lightly guarded. They deemed the lord Luthien dangerous enough to give him his own Guardian, even in his charmed slumber," he sneered, then bent down to inspect the seal on the side of the stone crate which held the force field in place. "Let us break this seal, kill the cursed Guardian and take our master from this wretched place!"

The first wizard drew his blade and stood poised over the white-clad figure in delighted anticipation of yet another kill while his companions summoned the dark magic powers necessary to break the sealing spell.

Yet before they could carry out their task, a sharp cry reverberated through the chamber.

"_Do not lay a finger on this sacred chest, foul thing of the Evil Powers!_"

The minions of Evil whirled around; three figures had spilled into the room from the entryway of the chamber, accompanied by half a dozen white-clad Guardians. Three old men they were, grey-haired and grey-bearded, yet they stood tall and straight-backed, wearing robes of brilliant scarlet with the emblem of the High Wizards of The Light blazing from their chests in golden embroidery.

The dark leader snarled; he had anticipated that the wizards of The Light would sense their presence, but he had hoped for some more time to give them a chance to rouse their master. With the lord Luthien awake, none in their path would have stood a chance against them.

One of the fair wizards now raised a hand, pointing a long, elegant finger at them. "Step away from the Evil Sorcerer," he commanded.

The three intruders did not move. "Here lies our master, the next ruler of your accursed land and all of its rabble," the third evil wizard hissed. "We shall not leave this place without him!"

"Then you shall not leave it at all!"

Separated only by the length of the sarcophagus, the two parties glared at each other until the dark leader suddenly thrust out an arm. One of the wizened wizards mirrored his move, however, and their magical energies met right above the center of the sarcophagus.

And then a strange thing happened; contrary to the expected explosion, the two beams combined and coalesced, shooting upwards, and a moment later a deafening noise roared through the chamber as the roof blew apart. Large pieces of timber, stone and mortar rained down onto Guardians and Wizards alike and everyone who did not possess the immediate presence of mind to throw up a magic shield to protect themselves was crushed by the rubble. When the last stone had fallen, only two of the evil mages and the three High Wizards remained on their feet.

The two bodies inside the sarcophagus, protected by the magical force field, remained unharmed and unaware of the ominous events all around them.

Through the large hole in the roof the now fully eclipsed moon was barely visible against the backdrop of night, yet the evil wizards felt its energy infuse them as they simultaneously cast up their arms to draw upon its powers.

The momentarily bewildered High Wizards of The Light retreated some steps, but instinctively summoned their own magic against the inevitable second assault from their enemies. And only a moment later, the two remaining evil sorcerers thrust their hands out towards them with twin roars of victory. Their lunar-infused magic beams, however, were stopped by the combined energies of their three righteous opponents and for a long minute, all five powerful men were locked in a stalemate of magical forces. Hands held out in front of them, teeth bared and faces straining with effort, each wizard pushed his respective energy beam forward until the power build-up between them simply proved too much. Suddenly, an ear-splitting explosion at the contact point of all five beams effectively ended the stand-off. The shockwave ripped through the chamber, blowing out the stone walls all around them and knocking each of the wizards off their feet. The two evil mages were cast from the tower, their screams tearing through the night. Two of the High Wizards of The Light were hurled down the staircase of the tower, but the third one managed to hang on to the door frame. Therefore, he was the only one who caught a brief glance of the flash of light that encased the stone crate before it grew too bright to look upon.

When he opened his eyes once more a moment later, however, only empty space was before him.

The sarcophagus had vanished. The dark wizard and his guardian were gone.

* * *

Cam Watanabe was bored. With an expansive sigh, he moved his mouse across the screen for the umpteenth time, going through yet another scan of the surveillance system. He had nothing else to do. 

It had been an unusually quiet week during which Lothor had not shown his ugly mug even once. Cam was beginning to wonder whether his evil uncle had gone on vacation.

The downtime had provided the technician with ample time to catch up on pretty much everything around Ninja Ops. Consequently, the Zords were upgraded and stocked with power spheres, the Tsunami Cycles and Hunter's Glider were repaired and washed, and even the command center was cleaned and mopped.

For the first time in weeks, Cam seriously contemplated misusing the Supercomputer by playing a video game.

_Didn't NASCAR '06 come out last week? If I streak into town now, I'd have enough time to practice to actually be able to beat Shane or Hunter at this later on..._ Grinning, Cam rose and reached for his jacket.

"Hey Dad, since everything's quiet around here, I'm going to head into town for a while, okay? You gonna keep an eye on things here for me?"

"Of course, son." From his position perched in front of a mini TV screen on his mobile habitat, Sensei Watanabe absentmindedly waved a paw, his eyes never leaving the scene on the screen. Cam cocked his head. _Another Jackie Chan movie? Dad's really turning into a junkie here…_With an amused shake of his head, Cam headed towards the stone stairs.

He made it to the third step before the Supercomputer's alarm began to blare. Cam closed his eyes for a second and hung his head, letting out a heavy breath. "You had to say it, Watanabe," he mumbled to himself. "Had to jinx yourself."

And with a shake of his head, he jogged back to his computer station.

It was not, however, the monster alarm he had expected;

The huge screen was displaying the views from various surveillance cameras in the northern part of the forest. A separate window in the lower right hand corner of the screen had popped up, showing a gage of energy readings that were already swinging disconcertingly quickly towards the 'dangerous' levels. Cam had installed this custom-coded program only a few weeks ago after he discovered that every time Lothor sent a monster to Earth, the evil energy that preceded it could actually be picked up a few moments before it reached the planet. Thus the system could be used as a sort of an even earlier warning system than the surveillance cameras.

Currently, however, the forest was still devoid of monsters even though every one of the energy reading bars was now all the way in the Red Zone.

"What the…?" Cam called up more camera displays, searching for the doubtlessly humongous monster that was loose in the woods somewhere. Sensei had abandoned his movie and was now standing next to the big red button on the console, staring at the screen with a worried expression.

"What is happening, Cam?"

"I don't know." Cam squinted at the screen, typing furiously. "The energy readings are off the charts – there should be a monster the size of King Kong out there, but the security cameras are not showing anything."

As if on cue, there was a sudden bright flash from one of the camera views. Cam's eyes flickered to it just in time to catch a wide bolt of energy slamming into the ground near a group of pine trees. Cam tensed, waiting for the inevitable shape of Lothor's latest creation to step out of the residual smoke, but nothing moved. Half a minute passed and the smoke dissipated, revealing a stationary shadow of undistinguishable shape.

Father and son cast each other a baffled look before Cam zoomed in on the object.

"It looks like…"

"…a sarcophagus of some kind," Sensei finished for him. He scratched his furry head while Cam continued to stare at the screen, brows drawn together, obviously deciding something. Finally he moved to rise.

"I'm going to check it out."

"You should not go alone, Cam."

"Yeah, well, the others are all still in school, so there's not much of a choice," Cam replied while he pushed his chair back. "Just stay here and monitor me, okay? If anything goes wrong, you can still call the Rangers."

* * *

Meanwhile, on his throne on the bridge of an asteroid-shaped spaceship several miles above Blue Bay Harbor, Lothor, evil space ninja and arch nemesis to the resident Power Rangers team, was unceremoniously yanked out of his mid-day nap by the ship's alarm klaxons. Hands clamped over his ears, he staggered towards the main computer console, fully expecting a frontal assault from at least a dozen rival alien invaders with heavily armed battle cruisers, ready to shoot him out of the planet's atmosphere in their quest for Earth's domination. Instead, he was surprised to find the viewing screen locked onto a part of Blue Bay Harbor National Forest where a massive energy bolt had apparently just deposited _something _right into the midst of a grove of trees. 

A rustling by his shoulder announced the arrival of his nieces Marah and Kapri who were curiously peeking around his large frame at the same monitor. Lothor pointedly ignored them; instead, he hit the ship-wide communicator button with his fist.

"Zurgane, Choobo, Vexacus, did any of you half-wits just send an unauthorized _something _down to Earth without consulting me first? I will have your ugly heads for this!"

"Uh…no, sir!"

"What? No, not me, nu-uh!"

"Never without your explicit prior permission, my liege."

Lothor took another look at the screen, his irritation slowly giving way to intrigue. "Hm, what _do_ we have here, then?" he mumbled, scratching a leather-swathed chin while he magnified the image.

He cast a sharp glare at his two nieces who promptly threw up their hands in defense.

"Wasn't us, Uncle!"

"Well, what is it and where did it come from, then, all of a sudden?"

Two sets of shoulders rose and fell in unison and Lothor looked back at the screen. "All right, I guess I'll be taking a closer look at this thing. I'm intrigued now."

"Oh, can we come, too?" Marah squealed, eyes bright with excitement. "Pleeeaaase? We haven't been off this floating rock in days."

"Yeah, and while we're down there, maybe we can stop at Starbucks?" Kapri implored. "I could really go for a grande Vanilla nonfat latte with an extra shot of..."

Her uncle's death glare made her flinch. "Okay, okay, just a suggestion."

"Let's go, you airheads!"

_TBC…_


	2. Chapter 2

They transported to the coordinates of the impact site in a flash of light and warily approached the object. It turned out to be a wide, rectangular stone crate, not quite waist-high. There was no visible lid, but even from a few feet away, Lothor could make out the faint glow that emanated from the top of the container.

Flanked by Marah and Kapri, the evil space ninja peered inside the crate and his eyes narrowed, whereas at the same time, his nieces' eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

"OOOOHHHHHH..."

"He...is...so...DREAMY!"

The stone sarcophagus was split into two equal compartments by a narrow stone divider. On either side of that insert lay the unmoving body of a man. Both were the same height and build and were roughly the same age which Lothor judged to be mid to late twenties. But that's where the similarities ended. The body closer to them - and the one that Marah and Kapri presently ogled with undisguised rapture - was dark-haired and hard-faced and clad in black from head to toe, whereas the other body was the direct opposite. Golden-blond hair, fair skin and dressed in flowing garments of such a brilliant white that it made the space ninja's eyes hurt. An aura of _purity_ seemed to surround the young man and Lothor made a noise of disgust while he turned his attention back to the darker body. Here the vibes were different, and much more to his liking. The kid literally radiated negative power like pheromones and Lothor was drawn to it like a tiger who had caught the scent of his favorite prey. His face split into a smirk as the wheels turned inside his head; he sensed a special kind of power surrounding these strangers and he had every intention of finding out just what that power was. Wherever these two came from, surely there was a way to use at least _this_ young man to his advantage somehow...

"Are they sleeping?" Marah suddenly piped up, already reaching towards the dark-haired man, but when her hand touched the faint glow just above him, it sizzled. With a sharp cry she jerked her hand back.

Lothor, completely unaffected by his niece's painful expression, cast a long, contemplative look over the sarcophagus. "Interesting. Seems to be a force field of some kind. That's probably what's keeping them in stasis, too." Suddenly, he pointed. "Ah!"

Carved into the side of the crate was a round indentation surrounded by strange symbols. The same faint glow from the inside of the box was also visibly emanating from the middle of the hole. Lothor ran a leather-gloved hand over it. "This must be the lock. Let's see if we can wake up the sleeping beauties, shall we?"

He did not get to follow through on his intention, however, for suddenly a voice behind him called out.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"

Marah and Kapri whirled around with a yelp, but Lothor merely blew out a puff of exasperated air before he turned to face the cause of the unwelcome interruption.

"Nephew! What an unpleasant surprise." He folded his arms across his chest and glared down at the glowering samurai. "You're early," he sneered. "The family reunion isn't until next week. Didn't you check the date on the invitation?"

Cam didn't even grace the taunt with an answer. Instead, he pointed at the stone crate. "Get your vile hands off...whatever that is."

"Don't even think about it." Marah stepped forward. "You can't have them. We saw them first."

Puzzled, Cam cocked his head, then craned his neck, but he was still too far away from the stone container to make out anything that was inside. "_Them?_"

"Yeah, them." Kapri chimed in. "Finders, keepers! And we definitely wanna keep HIM!"

"Ladies," Lothor said in an exaggeratedly polite tone, "if you wouldn't mind keeping our bothersome family member here occupied, I can get back to this lock..."

"With pleasure," the girls chorused and immediately advanced on Cam. Kapri drew her sword while Marah summoned her _bo's_ and Cam did the only thing he could do now that he was faced with deadly weapons – he backed up a few steps and yanked his amulet from around his neck.

"Samurai Storm, Ranger Form!"

The girls attacked.

He barely managed to draw his samurai saber in time to deflect a slash to his chest from Kapri's sword, but her sister made up for the missed hit with twin blows to his back and shoulders that sent sparks flying from his suit. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Cam launched into a fierce counterattack. The clearing reverberated with the sounds of their battle cries and clanking of steel on steel as they traded sword slashes, kicks and punches.

All the while, Lothor was fervently trying to determine how to deactivate the stone crate's force field. There were no visible switches, plugs or buttons, however, and after a few minutes of fruitless searching, Lothor let out a growl of frustration.

"Looks like I have to do this my own way," he barked and straightened up, flexing his fingers.

"There isn't a spell in existence that I can't break," he snarled, then took a deep breath and thrust both hands towards the seal. Twin beams of purple energy shot from his gloves, sending a cascade of sparks over the container and the forest floor. The seal shattered into microscopic fragments and a moment later, the force field flickered and disappeared.

A few yards away, the Green Ranger and his two opponents paused in their fight at the sound of all the noise, and Marah and Kapri broke out in victory cries.

With a roar of triumph, Lothor reached inside the sarcophagus and a moment later, pulled something up that looked to Cam like the unmoving form of something disconcertingly human. As the evil space ninja slung the body across his shoulder, Cam's eyes widened behind his visor. _Definitely human! And there was no way he could let Lothor kidnap a helpless human being!_

"No!" he cried and raised his saber again, running towards his uncle, but his cousins blocked the way and sent him reeling with renewed double attacks. He scrambled back to his feet in time to see Lothor opening a transportation portal behind him. Noticeably unsteadier than before, Cam staggered towards his enemies once more.

"You…are not going to…get away with him."

Lothor was unperturbed. "As much as I'd like to stick around and watch the girls demolish you, nephew, I have neither the time nor the interest today," he said, shifting the unmoving body across his shoulder slightly. "I want to check out my new toy, you see. Marah! Kapri!"

At the sound of their names, the girls retreated to their uncle's side like obedient puppies. He smirked as he addressed them. "Ladies, let's cut this short and get going, shall we?"

And in perfect synchrony, the three space villains thrust their hands out towards Cam. The samurai ducked, but not fast enough, and triple beams of purple, pink and orange energy hit him dead on, lifting him off his feet. He slammed against a huge pine tree with such force that the great trunk actually split down the middle. The force of the impact would have killed any ordinary man, but Cam was saved by his Green Ranger suit. Nevertheless, the raw power of the combined energy beams _did_ demorph him and he was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

The girls high-fived each other happily and Lothor took another moment for a self-indulgent smirk before he turned back towards his portal.

When Marah turned to follow him, her gaze grazed the white-clad man who was just now beginning to stir inside the stone crate. "What about him, Uncle?" she asked, but Lothor hardly even looked back.

"If you want to carry him, be my guest. But I got what I came for." And with that, he transported back to his ship.

Marah and Kapri exchanged several looks between each other and the blond man inside the casket until the pink-haired girl said, "He's not really my type."

"Mine neither. Too blond," Marah agreed, then took her sister's arm. "Come on, let's head back. I want to be there when Dream Boat wakes up. Maybe where he's from guys fall in love with the first girl they see when they wake up."

"Oh, then it'll definitely be me!" Kapri squeaked

Marah huffed indignantly. "You wish! It's sooo gonna be me, of course!"

Still bickering, they disappeared into the flash of light without wasting another look towards their fallen cousin.

* * *

Awareness returned to Cam before he opened his eyes in form of an insistent, yet strangely pleasant buzzing sound inside his head. For a moment he simply lay there, waiting for the inevitable splitting headache to begin; an aftereffect of pretty much every time he got knocked out by his uncle. But there was no headache this time, only that odd buzz…

"Stranger! Awaken!"

Cam's eyes snapped open at the sound of the unfamiliar voice right next to him and before he knew it, he was sitting up, fists already raised. The young man who had bent over him jerked back, obviously startled at the sudden movement, but raised a hand in a calming gesture. "Peace. I mean you no harm."

Cam blinked in bewilderment; the guy before him was a complete stranger, about his own age - and one of the oddest sights Cam had ever seen.

Even in his half-kneeling position, the stranger was obviously tall; fair-skinned, with long, golden-blond hair a shade lighter even than Tori's. It was pulled back from the sides and the top of his head and seemed to hang in one long braid over his back. A pair of bright green eyes regarded him with a mixture of wariness and concern. But the most distinctive part of his face was the dark tattoo that ran from above the brow of his right temple to his cheekbone in an intricate design of spirals, swirls and other softly flowing forms that blended together to form an undeniably beautiful and aesthetic pattern.

He was dressed in all white. It appeared to be some sort of tunic and matching wide pants, held in place by a leather belt. His feet were clad in grey leather boots and draped across his shoulders was a light-grey _cloak_, held in place at his neck by a silver clasp. Embroidered on his chest was a repetition of the tattoo which, on second look, reminded Cam vaguely of a Celtic Knot.

The guy looked like he had stepped right out of Tolkien's _Lord of the Rings_ novels.

"Move not, friend," the stranger said. "You will be recovered before long. You were unconscious when I found you, but my healing crystal should have relieved you of any discomfort." He held up a small diaphanous globe for Cam to see, effectively solving the mystery of the buzzing sound in Cam's head.

Cam blinked. _Great, now we can add_ _the speech pattern to the whole Lord of the Rings spiel as well. _This was beginning to feel distinctly surreal. "Thanks, but..."

But the stranger was already rising to his feet. "Will you fare well without my further aid?" he inquired. "I cannot linger, I fear." He tucked the crystal into a pouch that hung from his belt. "I have need of great haste for I pursue a grave Evil and I sense that I am no longer in the place of my origin. Therefore I must move swiftly in order to orient myself in this strange land."

He moved to go, but Cam was already scrambling to his feet. "Wait," he called. "What Evil are you talking about? If you mean Lothor..."

The blond man turned back towards him. "The one I pursue is not called such, but I am afraid I cannot elaborate, for time is of the essence. I must go." He gave Cam a half-bow and turned, but Cam could still hear him mutter, "He must not elude me."

"Hold on, wait." Cam exclaimed. "Maybe I can help you. You said you're not in your _place of origin_ and I think that means you're not from around here. You will need help to find your way around." _Probably a lot of help_, he added silently, eying the blond man's out-of-place clothes once more.

The stranger paused, and Cam could virtually _feel_ the urgency radiating from him. Quickly, he asked, "The person you're looking for – was he dressed in all black, dark hair…" he never finished his sentence before the stranger suddenly came striding back towards him, his green eyes boring into Cam. "You saw him? Was he the one who smote you?"

Cam shook his head. "No, he was still pretty much unconscious when I arrived here. I surprised Lothor while he was busy breaking what seemed to be a seal on the crate, and it was he who knocked me out. I tried but I couldn't prevent him from taking your friend…"

At that, the stranger's eyes suddenly blazed. "He is _no_ friend of mine," he said sharply. "I am the Dark Sorcerer's guardian and it was…_is_ my duty to prevent the malice of his evil powers from spreading over the lands once again now that the sleep spell is broken." He regarded Cam with such intensity that the technician felt a chill of dark premonition run down his spine. "I am certain that the Dark Sorcerer has recovered from his slumber by now, just as I have. This man Lothor…he has no inkling of the menace he has released. For all I know he has already perished at the hand of the Dark Wizard by now."

"Lothor's not that easily destroyed, trust me," Cam replied, but the stranger shook his head.

"If he is still among the living, it is by the Dark Sorcerer's good will only." He suddenly cocked his head. "Pray, tell, who _is_ this…Lothor and where can I find him?"

Cam scratched his neck. How to explain the concept of an evil space ninja to someone who was quite obviously from some sort of alternate dimension or timeline? Tolkien's way seemed to be the best… "Let's just say he is the leader of the Evil Powers of this world and in perpetual pursuit of world domination," he said, feeling slightly sheepish, but the blond stranger nodded gravely.

"All the worse for this world to have these two evil wizards join forces. It must not come to be!" The young man suddenly turned on his heels and strode back to the sarcophagus where he held his hand over the sorcerer's empty half. He stayed motionless for a long minute, a look of intense concentration on his face. Cam decided not to interrupt.

After a while, the guardian slowly withdrew his hand and let out a heavy sigh.

"I sense no trace of his presence any longer. He is far from this place by now and I must now utilize means other than eyes and ears to track him." He spoke in a voice mixed with barely contained despair and determination and Cam took a few steps towards him.

"Well, one thing I'm _very _familiar with is the resident Evil on this world, trust me," the samurai said resolutely. "And I'm pretty sure that they are both now on Lothor's ship, which means that, for the moment, they are out of reach for us. I'd say you need my help with finding him."

"It is too perilous."

"Look, my father, my friends and I...we know a bit about unusual situations." He looked from the stone chests to the blond warrior, and his expression grew thoughtful. "And from what I'm starting to deduce has happened here...if anyone can help you with your predicament, we can, uh…" Cam trailed off and the young man caught the inquisitive intonation in Cam's voice.

"My manners are lacking – forgive me." He stood before Cam, placed the palm of his hand over his heart, then bowed formally. "I am Mithrandos, son of Angaroth who is son of Hatherios. Captain of the Exalted Guardians of The Light of Ithrandar. And you are?"

Cam blinked at the lengthy and archaic introduction. "Cam," he said, looking at the tall stranger thoughtfully. After a moment, he added, "Son of Kanoi."

The young man nodded. "Well met, Cam son of Kanoi."

Cam felt the corners of his mouth quirk before he said, "You are definitely not from around here!"

Mithrandos' eyes traveled to the sarcophagus, then back to Cam. "To be truthful, I do not know _where_ I am," he said. "But I can tell that I am far from home for the manner of your speech and dress is strange to me. Also, I sense an _otherness_ surrounding this place." His gaze was grave. "I cannot fathom how we came to be here, but this is not the realm of Ithrandar."

"Ah, no," Cam confirmed. "This is Blue Bay Harbor." Seeing the stranger's uncomprehending gaze, he added. "California."

A few eye blinks was all the reaction he received.

"The United States of America?" he elaborated, but it was evident that Mithrandos had no idea what he was talking about. It confirmed Cam's notion from earlier on; this strangely dressed man was definitely either from another timeline or another dimension, maybe even from another planet or universe altogether.

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't know what I'm talking about," he said and scratched his head. "Oh boy."

He slowly lowered himself back to the ground, his back against the stone crate and waved a hand at Mithrandos to join him. "We better start talking about what happened here. For starters: Who's the guy who was in the container with you?"

Mithrandos crouched but did not sit, and Cam saw his jaw tightening. "I am afraid these elaborations come with grievous tidings. They are not for the faint of heart."

"I can handle it, believe me," Cam said, intoning his words with an unblinking gaze, but Mithrandos was still hesitant. Sighing, Cam realized that a few revelations of his own would be necessary in order for this other-dimensional guardian, or whatever he was, to accept his help.

"Look, from your introduction – and since you were guarding an evil sorcerer - I think I can safely assume that you are a warrior for the forces of Good in your world, right?"

Mithrandos studied Cam for a moment, but finally nodded. "It is so."

"Okay, so that would make us…_'what would be the proper Tolkien word?'_…brothers in arms. My friends and I have fought against Lothor's evil for quite some time now."

Mithrandos' eyebrows shot up. "So you are Guardians as well, then?"

"Sort of. We are ninjas."

"Ninjas." The word was clearly a new one for Mithrandos, and the young warrior repeated it once more, rolling it on his tongue as if to taste it.

Cam looked around the clearing. "Well, Mithrandos, you better come with me and meet my father and my friends. Sounds like we need to do some serious exchanging of information, and then we all better start making some plans."

_TBC…_

_

* * *

A/N: Enter the other-dimensional Guardian! And yes, Mithrandos' strange lingo is deliberate. Oh, and as a visual aid - I picture him as a cross between Legolas from Lord of the rings and Merrick from Wild Force :) _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Mostly talking in this chapter, sorry. But it's necessary in order to establish some background on the other dimension and relay information that'll be important in later chapters._

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When they reached the clearing where the Wind Academy used to be, Cam led the Guardian towards the concealed entrance of Ninja Ops. As he pulled up the trapdoor imbedded in the ground he felt his visitor's eyes on him even before the young man spoke. "I am wondering…"

Cam looked up from his task to find the Guardian regarding him openly.

"You have a lordly bearing," Mithrandos said. "Are you the leader of this ninja group you spoke of?"

Cam gave a quick laugh. "No. I am part of the team, though, and the tech support," he answered as he led his visitor down the stone stairs and into Ninja Ops' command room. "I'm sure you will meet our leader later, but all of us answer to our sensei, our teacher. My father."

They entered the command room and Cam grinned when he saw the look of astonishment on the Guardian's face at the sight of all its computer equipment. Doubtlessly, Mithrandos had never seen any of the gadgets that filled the chamber.

"That would be me," came a voice from the direction of the computer console and an instant later, Sensei's guinea pig mobile came whirring towards them. "Welcome to our headquarters."

Mithrandos' eyes settled on Kanoi Watanabe and the blond warrior didn't so much as bat an eyelash at the sight of the robed guinea pig before him. He seemed more in awe of the mobile habitat than of Sensei himself. It made Cam wonder whether fully clothed, talking animals were the norm in the Guardian's world. He wouldn't have been surprised if it was.

Mithrandos placed his hand over his heart and bowed from the waist. "Milord Kanoi, I presume?"

"Kanoi is correct, but I am no lord," Sensei replied and Cam could hear the amusement in his father's voice. "I merely provide moral support and guidance to our team."

Cam folded his arms across his chest, a smile in his eyes. "You're too modest, as always, Dad." He indicated the young man next to him. "Dad, this is…"

"Mithrandos. Yes. I know," Sensei replied. "I have followed the events in the forest and your conversation via the computer screen and am therefore familiar with the gravity of the situation." He nodded towards the huge screen where video feeds from several different cameras still showed the forest glade and the empty sarcophagus from various angles.

Mithrandos blinked in obvious puzzlement at the sight. "You have a, a...seeing screen?" he asked incredulously. "So your realm _is_ a magical one as well, then!"

"Ah, no," Cam replied. "This isn't magic; it's called technology. Here, let me show you." He beckoned his otherworldly visitor towards the computer where he pressed a few keys. Promptly, a separate window appeared and Cam rewound the digital camera recording to the frame where Lothor and his nieces appeared through their portal. They watched the evil space ninja fumble with the lock on the stone crate. Mithrandos stood next to Cam's chair, peering at the scenes with undisguised mystification, and Cam had to suppress a grin when the blond warrior reached out and lightly poked the screen with a finger.

The recording now showed Cam appearing in the clearing. The dialogue with Lothor ensued and Mithrandos sucked in a startled breath at Cam's transformation into the Green Samurai Ranger.

"So you spoke the truth when you said you were a warrior of your world!" Mithrandos' gaze fixed on the flesh-and-blood Cam next to him in the chair. "You speak of your realm as one of 'technology', yet I recognize magic when I see it."

"It's complicated to explain." Cam scratched his head. "The, well, _magic_ you just saw is directly connected with all the technology in here," he said. "Without this computer, neither I nor my friends could, uh...summon our armor and weapons."

"Speaking of friends," Sensei injected from his customary position next to the keyboard. "I have called the Rangers, but when Lothor departed and I saw that you were attended to by our guest, I called off the alert and told them to come here instead. They should be arriving at any moment."

As if on cue, a noise from the stairs made their heads turn; the sounds of several rapidly descending boots announced the arrival of more company. A moment later, Shane, Dustin, Tori, Hunter and Blake all but flew into the room.

"Cam, you okay, man?"

"Sensei said Lothor attacked…whoa, uh…hello."

The Wind and Thunder ninjas' dash towards the computer immediately turned into a more careful approach when they caught sight of the white-clad stranger. Cam swiveled around in his chair and held up a hand in reassurance when he saw that Shane and Hunter both had their fists balled.

"I'm fine guys, but we have a situation on our hands. And a visitor." He indicated the blond man. "Guys, this is Mithrandos - and the whole story on how he came to be here is still kinda sketchy."

Mithrandos went through his ritual greeting, bowing his head and giving them the same lengthy introduction he had given Cam in the forest. Somewhat awkwardly, the ninjas nodded back and gave their names in response to the strange greeting.

The Guardian's eyes traveled quickly over the five leather-clad teenagers before him but came to rest on Tori. Never taking his gaze off her, he inclined his head once more. "Sunshine in an underground cave. There _is_ magic in this realm after all."

And amidst Tori's fierce blushing, Cam cast Blake a glance just in time to see the Navy Ranger's eyes narrow in disapproval.

Dustin, however, who was closest to the tall warrior, suddenly began to grin. Apparently, the fact that Cam had brought this stranger – however out-of-place-looking he may be – into Ninja Ops, was enough of a sign of trust on Cam's part for the Earth ninja to thrust out his hand.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you, Mith."

Mithrandos looked at the hand, then at Dustin, puzzled, until Cam explained.

"Oh, you shake it," he said. "It's our traditional greeting."

Frowning, and with another unsure glance, Mithrandos took the offered hand between his thumb and index finger, shaking it left and right.

The expressions on the Rangers' faces showed clearly that they were trying hard not to laugh, but Dustin couldn't help but snicker.

"Close enough," he said, smirking.

"So what's the story here, Cam?" Shane wanted to know and Cam gave them a condensed version of the events of the past two hours while he re-played the recording for the team, this time from the moment the energy beam had struck in the woods.

"So who's the dude Lothor took out of the box?" Dustin asked after the recording ended.

"Actually, I'd like a little more info on him, too," Cam said and Mithrandos suddenly found himself on the receiving end of seven inquiring looks. He glanced at the screen. "His name is Luthien, the most powerful sorcerer of the Evil Forces that dwell in the cursed mountains of Ithrandar," he said gravely. "He is an evil unfathomable, and that very evil will soon walk freely across your lands, for destruction and suffering is all his black heart desires."

Mithrandos now turned his gaze from the screen towards the Rangers and his shoulders straightened. "Ninjas, I sense noble hearts and clear wits from all in this group," he said formally, "so I will not mislead you by speaking words of make-believe; I do not know how my charge and I came to be transported into your world. I fear, however, that black magic and ill fate have worked together to bring us to this place."

Sensei stroked his whiskers thoughtfully. "Maybe it is time you enlightened us a little more about your quest, Mithrandos."

"Very well, but I fear the tale is a lengthy one."

"Well, then I suggest we get comfortable." The guinea pig motioned everyone towards the command table. Mithrandos did as the others did, choosing a pillow for himself and folding his legs under him. At length, he began.

"In times past so ancient that no lore exists, magic was born from nature. Then men began to walk the lands and connected with the magic all around them. They named this wondrous power The Light."

"So The Light is the magical source of your world," Cam recapped, earning a nod from Mithrandos in reply.

"According to ancient lore, it gave life to all living things of Ithrandar. At first, there was harmony among all creatures, human or beast." Mithrandos sighed. "No one knows when the darker power emerged or from which black cave it crawled hither, but the Evil settled in the mountains far to the West of my fair land. There it festered and grew unnoticed until it had accumulated enough henchmen to come forward and assault the peaceful people of the Southern Valley. The few that lived to tell the tale spoke of slaughter and cruelty unparalleled." He paused and for a moment, those green eyes took on a faraway look.

"The men of the threatened villages formed amongst them an army of those who had the most formidable statures of body or showed the most skills in the use of magic to defend themselves and theirs against further attacks from the minions of Evil. But soon it became clear that a permanent league of defenders was needed and thus were born the Guardians of The Light.  
"The Guardians are the protectors of the people as well as the creators and keepers of the Scrolls of History of our realm. We dwell in the Great Temple, together with the High Wizards, the Keepers of the Secrets. They alone know how to maintain the magic of The Light in a constant and harmonious flow that guarantees the prosperity and happiness of the people of Ithrandar."

"So you guys are all wizards?" Blake wanted to know, but Mithrandos gave a small smile and shook his head.

"No, I am but a soldier in the services of the temple of The Light. The wise men tending the temple, however, are all wizards and versed in the white magic of The Ligh. The magical powers of The Light are dormant in every man and woman in Ithrandar. But as with every skill, it takes practice to retain and master these abilities. Most of the common folk are content with knowing enough magic to aid them with their everyday chores, but the Guardians must be much more adept in the use of defensive magic in order to maintain peace in our world. A task we had achieved quite well – until the rise of the Dark Sorcerer Luthien."

Cam's brows knit together. "Who's presently enjoying Lothor's hospitality. Not a good combination."

"Man! Lothor and Luthien?" Dustin exclaimed, shaking his head. "Makes them sound like twins, for crying out loud!"

"Bound not by blood but by evil," Mithrandos said gravely. "Which, in this case, is the greater malice by far."

"But you know how to do _some_ magic, right?" Tori wanted to know.

In response, Mithrandos cupped his hand before him and a brief flash of light shone from between his closed fingers. A moment later he was handing a brilliant white orchid blossom to Tori with a smile.

Hunter grinned. "Dude, you could make a fortune in the entertainment industry."

Next to his brother, Blake rolled his eyes.

Mithrandos' smile wavered. "Unfortunately, I require magic much more potent than this in order to defeat the Dark Sorcerer."

"I don't think Lothor would just downright trust this guy," Shane declared.

"And neither would Luthien trust Lothor," Mithrandos said. "But he must seek council - just as I have. Luthien knows that any foul plans he wishes to pursue in this dimension require aid, therefore he will speak words in a voice of honey to anyone whom he deems powerful enough to be of use to him. But do not be misled; once he has acquired power, he has no mind to share it with anyone.  
"He is a corruptor of men's hearts and his lies are very believable," he added. "But if his lies do not convince, he will use magic and spells to bend men's minds to his will."

"Sounds like you know this guy pretty well." Hunter's voice was casual, but his gaze was intent. There was a barely perceptible hesitation before Mithrandos avoided his eyes by looking down at his fisted hands. Surreptitiously he unclenched them. "He is responsible for the loss of a great many innocent lives! I could not keep him from wreaking havoc in my realm, but I _will _keep him from doing harm in yours."

When he looked back up, his face was carefully blank. "Many seasons ago, Luthien managed to infiltrate the temple of The Light, stealing many of the scrolls that contained the High Wizards' most powerful spells. He used his stolen knowledge well, creating counter-spells against our most effective magic, then launched a brutal attack against the most populous villages in Ithrandar, knowing full well that both the Guardians and the wizards of The Light would rush to the peasants' aid.  
"The battle turned to slaughter. He rendered most of our wizards' spells utterly ineffective. Without magic in the midst of the battlefield, these great men of knowledge were reduced to taking up weapons to defend themselves. They were men of the mind, however, not of the blade, and a great many were slain by the dark forces like cattle."

"Aw, dude," Shane muttered, his face grieved.

"By the time I fought my way towards the Dark Wizard, the blood on the battlefield was ankle-deep." Mithrandos was about to launch further into the account of the final confrontation between the Guardians and the Evil Forces, but when he saw the ninjas' horrified expressions and Tori's chalk-white face, he quickly changed his mind, deciding instead that the short version would be more appropriate.

"We fought, he…he wounded me and I would have perished had it not been for the awesome feat of magic of our remaining wizards. In a joint effort they managed to catch him unawares and cast a spell on him, trapping his mind in a charmed slumber."

To Cam, Mithrandos said, "The sarcophagus you saw in the woods is the vessel intended to hold him in this enchanted sleep until his seasons draw to an end and the life leaves his body at last, for Luthien's seasons keep counting, whereas my sleep ages me not; at least not whilst I remain under the spell of The Light inside the sarcophagus."

Dustin scratched his head. "Dude, that sounds just like what Sigourney Weaver did at the end of "Aliens". You know, when they all put themselves to sleep inside those containers..."

"Suspended animation, yes." Cam nodded. "Actually, Dustin, that's a pretty accurate comparison. At least in Mithrandos' case."

"So how long until that 'expiring thing' is going to happen to the wizard?" Blake asked.

"To understand that, you must know that we count men and women's lifetimes in seasons," Mithrandos said. "There are four seasons in the turn of a year: warm, hot, cool and cold. In my world, a man sees three-hundred seasons more times than not."

Five heads turned to Cam as if triggered by an unspoken signal.

"That would mean that on average, people in his world live to be around…seventy-five years," the samurai elaborated.

Mithrandos nodded, his expression darkening. "The Queen of the Evil Power, however, has bestowed one thousand seasons upon her spawn Luthien."

"Two hundred fifty years?" Cam translated incredulously.

Hunter ran a hand through his mop of hair. "Man, that's a lot of time to mess up a world."

"That is why he has to be kept asleep until his seasons have drawn to an end and he will pass on into the land of the shadows without ever wakening," Mithrandos said. "No doubt we have slept for years unreckoned; yet not long enough, for he obviously remains alive still."

Shane raised a hand. "Hold up, hold up. You mean you don't know how long you've both been asleep so far?"

"I fear I cannot say." Mithrandos shrugged. "If we were in Ithrandar still, I could simply ask a temple guardian what era it was, but this is not my world; I do not know how you measure time here. To me it is as if the charmed sleep has been cast over me just yesterday."

Dustin suddenly turned to Cam. "Dude, speaking of Ithrandar…How is Mith going to get back to his own world?"

Cam blinked, opened his mouth - and closed it again when he realized that he had no answer to that question. He looked at Mithrandos, but a look of uncertainty was already flittering over the handsome Guardian's face. "I can offer no answers as to how we shall accomplish the feat of returning to our own realm," he muttered. "I do not recall, in any of our recorded lore, any wizardry so powerful."

Cam thought for a moment. "There _has_ to be a way to reverse inter-dimensional travel…" His gaze drifted towards the Supercomputer and he mumbled, almost to himself, "Maybe…If I could measure the amount of energy output in that beam right at impact in the woods..." For a moment, his eyes took on a faraway look before he rose abruptly. "Excuse me, I need to check something."

Mithrandos looked at him, whereas the rest of the team took no particular notice of Cam's sudden retreat to the computer; they were far too used to their technician's spontaneous bouts of ingenuity. Tori, however, patted his arm soothingly.

"Don't worry," she said, "when he gets like this, that usually means that he had an idea as to how to approach the problem of the moment – and he usually comes up with some solution."

"That's right," Blake piped up, a smirk forming in the corners of his mouth. "If anyone can figure out how to get you back home, Brainy Smurf here can."

The blond Guardian nodded reluctantly. "But meanwhile, I cannot sit idly by while Luthien hatches evil plots with your enemy of this world!"

"Yeah, well, you might as well, though, since it's not like you can reach him right now." Hunter leaned forward, elbows on the table. "Not while he's on Lothor's ship anyways. We've tried that, believe me.  
"But I have a feeling they will come down to Earth before long, and when they do, we'll be ready for them," he added.

"Aye, I will be. Slay him I cannot - no man can, for he has grown too powerful to be defeated by mortal men." Mithrandos' hands balled into fists again. "But contain him once more I shall."

"Well, whatever it is you need to do, we'll help," Dustin decreed and the rest of the team nodded their accordance.

"I cannot ask you for aid when I have naught to give in return," Mithrandos said.

"We are not doing this to get anything out of it, man," Shane corrected. "The safety of Earth is our first priority."

Mithrandos remained silent for a moment in apparent consideration of Shane's words before he inclined his head. "Then I shall receive your offer with a grateful heart, ninjas of this realm."

Sensei gave his students an approving nod. "Rangers, it sounds like there might be a tough battle ahead. Some more intensive training would be in order."

"You're right, Sensei," Shane agreed, casting his team a glance. "Then we probably should be heading out to the cove right now, as long as there's still enough light left for practicing." The ninjas rose and bowed to their teacher.

"See you later, man," Dustin said to Mithrandos. Then the Rangers turned and made their way towards the stone staircase.

_TBC…_


	4. Chapter 4

While Cam was working ceaselessly on his computer, Sensei and Mithrandos settled back into the cushions by the table; Mithrandos had many questions about their world and Kanoi spoke at length of Earth and the ways of the ninja, stopping just once to ask Cam to brew some tea for them.

Now back at the computer, and with the sounds of his father's soft-spoken voice in the background, Cam picked up his thought process once more.

_'Okay, where was I? Oh yeah...All energy beams are comprised of particles, many of which carry a charge... So if I could measure the exact amount of positive and negative charges that made up this particular beam, I should be able to calculate a reverse formula for an inverted energy ray...´_

His fingers flew over the keyboard, phasing out all details other than the energy beam from the sensor recordings before he instructed the Supercomputer to analyze every aspect of the beam in question. Meanwhile, he searched the net and every conceivable mathematical database he could think of for a fitting formula to convert the computer´s results into. He had no idea how much time had passed when he finally let out a sigh, leaned back in the chair and stared at the half dozen ridiculously complex-looking mathematical formulae his searches had whittled it down to. Now to input the computer´s results into each formula, cross his fingers and hope that at least two or three of them would be compatible with the results of the computer´s analysis.

Problem was, the computer hadn't returned any numbers yet. Even with his system's very impressive amount of resources Cam could call upon, the computer was by now virtually locked up with the sheer size of the algorithm from the dissection of the energy beam.

And with a start Cam realized that he now could do not much else other than wait for those results. He rolled his shoulders and winced when his muscles promptly protested. _'Need to stretch…'_

With a groan he pushed his chair back while he took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. "Man, these calculations are more complicated than I thought. This is going to take a while longer."

He made his way to the command table where Mithrandos and Sensei were still talking softly. "I'm going to get some air, clear my head. Probably head towards the beach and check on the rest of the gang while I'm out there." He turned to their visitor. "Feel like coming along?"

Mithrandos put down his tea mug. "Gladly." With a quick bow to Sensei, he rose. "Actually, I, too, should like to seek out a quiet place where I can practice my sword work. My joints are stiff and my skills are rusty after so long a sleep." He flexed his fingers. "My palms are itching to grasp my sword again. Too many a season has passed."

"You are very welcome to use our cove for practice," Cam said, "but, uh, did you leave your sword back in the woods? I don't recall seeing any weapons in the sarcophagus."

"No, I carry them on me at all times." Mithrandos indicated the nondescript leather pouch on his belt. "They are too precious to ever let them stray from my side."

He reached into the pouch and took out several different-size crystals very similar to the one he had used on Cam back in the forest.

"Daggers, shield, and...behold!" With a proud grin he held up an oblong shard. "- the Guardian Saber Crystal!"

Cam only cocked his head and regarded the crystal with what must have been such an unconvinced expression that Mithrandos suddenly gave a soft laugh.

"My weapons are not meant to be drawn indoors, but show me to the beach and you shall gaze upon a blade of beauty unequaled." He wiggled the diaphanous shard, but then suddenly grew serious and said in a lower voice, "At least in Ithrandar it was."

He stared at the crystal and Cam, sensing his visitor's impending somber mood, clapped him softly on the shoulder.

"This I gotta see. Come on, let's go."

_**Training time...**_

It was only a short trek down to the Wind Academy's concealed training cove, and before they rounded the last corner, the sounds of hand-to-hand combat were already drifting towards them.

Hunter was up against Shane; as they rounded the bend, Cam could see the two ninjas circling each other warily, eyes locked in apparent search for an opening or weakness in the other, whereas a few yards to their right, Blake and Dustin were happily exchanging punches and kicks in lightning-quick succession.

Tori was reclining against a boulder, watching her teammates, Thunderstaffs and Ninja Swords stuck into the sand next to her. When she saw Cam and Mithrandos approaching, she smiled and waved them over, her grin turning bashful when Mithrandos bowed gracefully and smiled at her before he turned to watch the sparring matches between the four teens with undisguised curiosity.

"This blade-less fighting style is very impressive," he noted after a while, causing Tori to cast him a surprised look.

"Don't tell me that there's no hand-to-hand combat where you come from," she said.

"Oh, there is," the Guardian replied, a twinkle in his eyes. "It is called brawling."

Tori laughed, and even Cam had to chuckle.

"Yeah, well, we've got plenty of that around here, too," the technician grinned. "Believe me!"

The sounds of their voices must have alerted the practicing ninjas to their presence, for Cam saw some heads turning in their direction. A moment later, Hunter, Shane, Dustin and Blake ceased their sparring and sauntered over to join the little group.

They nodded greetings, and Hunter grabbed a water bottle. "So, have you made any headway with your idea yet, Cam?" he asked between gulps.

The technician gave a half-shrug. "Yeah, but it's more complicated than I thought. The system's running some more calculations right now, so it's too early to say anything definitive yet. I mean, we're talking about breaking this bolt down into every single atom and then re-calculating them all into the reverse formula for the return beam. And the calculations must be a hundred percent accurate for Mithandos to end up in his own world again. So it's going to be a while longer until the computer will come up with something, I'm sure." He looked from Mithrandos to his team members. "In the meantime, Mithrandos wanted to get some practice in with his sword."

"If it does not interfere with your exercises," the Guardian chimed in.

"No, man, no problem at all, but..." Shane cocked his head. "If you're here to practice your sword skills, shouldn't you have brought a sword?" he observed.

"I have."

Dustin quirked an eyebrow. "You hid it pretty good, then," he said, looking Mithrandos up and down, then around his back.

A small smile played across the Guardian's mouth. "My blade is not drawn, Dustin, but summoned." He tugged open his leather pouch and withdrew the Guardian Saber crystal.

"That's your sword?" Dustin regarded the odd-shaped, clear fragment in the guardian's hand with a skeptical expression. "Looks to me like a broken piece of my mother's crystal vase."

Mithrandos' smile grew slightly wry. "If this were a piece of a vase, it would cut through any table it was placed upon." And with that he extended his arm, the shard loosely in his palm. A bright flash of light engulfed his hand and an instant later, he was holding a full-size sword. Astonished grins appeared on all of the faces around him.

Mithrandos' sword was not that different from those of the ninjas; the blade was about the same length, but slightly wider, and the steel shone with a light that seemed to radiate from within rather than from the sun reflecting off it. Elegant yet foreign symbols were etched into the blade from the hilt to the tip. The hilt itself was made of a silvery material, and Mithrandos had wrapped the handle with strips of dark leather for an obviously better grip.

It was indeed a beautiful weapon; Cam couldn't deny that as he gazed at the sword, nodding his appreciation at the craftsmanship. Mithrandos had every reason to be proud of his blade.

"Wow, do all Guardians have weapons like this?" Hunter wanted to know and Mithrandos nodded.

"Aye. The bond between a Guardian and his saber is a lifelong one." The tall warrior raised his weapon, smiling at it. "A deciding part of every guardian-novice's apprenticeship is his Crystal Quest."

"You mean you actually have to go out and _look_ for these crystals?" Blake inquired.

"Yes, every novice must undertake the Crystal Quest before he can become a full-fledged Guardian of The Light," Mithrandos confirmed, "for a Guardian cannot be without his weapon. It is a long and arduous journey, for the crystals are scattered throughout Ithrandar and one cannot simply pick up any crystal he happens to come across." At the ninjas' quizzical expressions, the warrior elaborated. "One does not choose his crystal; the crystal chooses _him_. I myself uncovered three before I finally came upon the right one."

"And how did you know this one was _it_?" Cam asked.

Mithrandos' eyes took on a faraway look for a brief moment before he gave a slight shrug. "I just...knew. It was a feeling of instant bonding, a connection I could feel right here," he said, tapping his chest over his heart before he scanned his hosts with a quick, wary look. To his relief, their faces showed only understanding and not the mocking expressions he had feared.

"I hear you, man, and hey, if you need a practice partner - I'm down for it," Shane offered.

One of Mithrandos' eyebrows shot up, but then he gave a quick bow. "It would be an honor to try my skills against yours, leader of ninjas." He regarded Shane and there was a flicker of amusement in those magnetic green eyes. "I cannot hope to match the talent of your hands and legs, but with the blade I might stand a chance."

"Well, we'll find out," Shane grinned, plucked his ninja sword from the sand and made a hand motion towards the beach. "Pick a spot."

They arranged themselves across from each other. Mithrandos raised his weapon and pointed it towards the Air ninja in a two-handed _en garde_ posture.

Shane attacked, but Mithrandos nimbly dodged most of his thrusts, whereas the ones he couldn't he met with a strong and steady sword hand. Shane struck low, but the Guardian leapt over the Air ninja's swipe in a backwards somersault, swinging his own blade in a wide arch that forced Shane to duck and roll under it.

For the next few minutes they traded slashes, parries and thrusts with ever-increasing speed as they developed a feel for each other's styles. Mithrandos was agile and focused, yet he kept his distance, and Shane had to remind himself to keep his usual ninja-style of combining kicks with his sword strikes to a minimum. The few kicks he did dish out, though, Mithrandos evaded with ease.

"Do not hold back on my account."

Shane smirked. "Same goes for you, dude. Knock yourself out."

"I do not believe that should be the point of the exercise," the blond warrior replied with a grin as he dodged yet another slash from the ninja leader's sword by leaping over his head. While airborne, however, Mithrandos turned and thrust out his hand. A bolt of bright energy caught Shane in the back and promptly flung him facedown into the sand. Shane's cry was that of surprise rather than pain, though; obviously, the beam had not been meant to hurt but merely to unbalance him.

Ignoring the snickers from the rest of the team, Shane immediately scrambled back to his feet again, eyes glowering at first, then widening when they fell onto the spot where Mithrandos hovered - six feet off the ground.

"Hey, not fair!" he exclaimed, covering up his embarrassment with indignation.

Mithrandos merely inclined his head and grinned while he looked down at his sparring partner. "In my world it is."

Shane brushed a few kernels of sand from his sleeve and made a show of straightening his jacket. "All right, since you obviously wanna take this to a higher level..." His eyes narrowed - and then he took a sudden flying leap of his own. "AIR GALLOP!"

And before Mithrandos could react in any way, the breath was knocked from his lungs and he was driven backwards through the air with Shane's boots firmly implanted in his chest. Mithrandos' head whirled around; only a few yards behind him loomed the rock wall of the cliff that marked the perimeter of the training cove and Shane was steering them right towards it with a smug grin on his face.

A moment later they were barely a foot away from the rock façade. Just before Mithrandos' back would have connected with the cliff behind him, however, he suddenly vanished into thin air with a flick of his wrist, only to reappear an instant later on the beach almost directly below Shane. The Air ninja's boots thumped onto the bare rock of the wall instead, but Shane immediately catapulted himself backwards in a reverse somersault to land smoothly on the sand a yard away from where Mithrandos was now crouched. At once he raised his sword again, but the blond warrior chuckled and held up a hand.

"Peace, leader of ninjas. I seek a respite."

Shane joined in the grinning and lowered his weapon while Mithrandos stood, his Guardian saber already converting back to crystal form.

"Impressive!" The Guardian bowed. "The air magic is strong within you; I can sense a close bond between you and your element. You are a skilled warrior, Shane leader of ninjas, both with the blade and your elemental powers."

Shane shrugged, looking slightly self-conscious from the unexpected compliment. "With Lothor around, I have to be," he said as they made their way back towards the boulder where the rest of the team was waiting.

"Not bad, you guys," Cam greeted them. "But what do you say we wrap it up for today. It's almost dinnertime anyway." His eyes strayed to the horizon where the low sun was just starting to take on a slight orange tint.

Shane promptly rubbed his stomach. "Dude, you said the magic word!"

They all picked up their weapons and other assorted gear and made their way across the sand, out of the cove and back into the woods. Cam cast a side-glance at Mithrandos who was quietly talking with Tori.

"What kind of food would a warrior-wizard from a parallel dimension like?" he wondered aloud, asking himself rather than anyone within ear shot.

But Dustin apparently heard him anyways and clapped him on the shoulder with a grin. "Pizza!" The Earth ninja decreed promptly.

TBC…

_A/N: Short chapter this time, but the next one will be longer! _


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: This chapter will reveal much of Mithrandos' background and also merits a slash warning, although it'll only be in form of memories. Enjoy!_

Mithrandos walked surefootedly at the edge of the pond, despite the near pitch blackness all around him. Judging by the position of the waning moon, dawn was a few hours away yet, and the forest was still asleep.

Dustin had left and returned to the underground headquarters with several square boxes and after the ensuing unfamiliar yet surprisingly delicious pizza-dinner, Cam had offered Mithrandos the cave's spare bedroom. He had accepted, but quickly realized that rest would be impossible this night, for the forced waiting for the Evil Sorcerer to make his first move was chafing his nerves. After staring at the stone ceiling for some time, he found himself yearning for the feel of fresh air on his face and before he knew it, he was up and quietly ascending the stairs leading into the forest.

Now settling down on the grass within reach of the edge of the water, Mithrandos breathed deeply, welcoming both the darkness and the quiet of these other-worldly woods. It gave him a chance for some undisturbed contemplation, both about his presence in this strange realm and the impending battle with the Dark Sorcerer Luthien.

_Luthien._ Mithrandos closed his eyes, and as if called upon by the thought of his name alone, the wizard's face appeared in his mind. It was not, however, the vile countenance of pure evil he would doubtlessly be confronting very soon. Instead it was a younger, gentler face and dark eyes gazing upon him with warmth and affection. _So long ago..._

Mithrandos sighed as he recalled a different kind of moonlight, its rays streaming into his tiny room in the novice wing of the temple through a round window not much wider than his own head.

_Mice holes_, they had all called their rooms jokingly. More than a hundred such cubicles were arranged next to each other in the dormitory of the temple, separated only by thin wooden walls and shrouds of woven cloth in lieu of doors. And there, every night for many years, Mithrandos and Luthien had slept mere yards from each other.

They had grown up together under the tutelage of the warriors of the brotherhood of The Light; he, the seventh son of the custodian of the Secrets of The Light, destined to follow in his father's footsteps one day. And Luthien, the orphan; abandoned and found in the cattle barn of the temple one morning at so young an age that he had not yet managed to walk ten paces unaided.

Once aware of his less-than-low heritage, the boy soon had developed a zeal to make a name for himself as the best Guardian that ever walked the halls of the Temple.

The quick friendship between the 'temple ward' and the 'chosen one' surprised not many of the temple's teachers, since Mithrandos was one of the very few of the warrior-novices who did not make it his favorite pastime to jest about Luthien's unavowed origins.

Many years they spent working and training shoulder to shoulder on the temple's grounds and as their bodies and minds matured and changed, so did their feelings for each other.

One night in particular was forever burned into Mithrandos' memories.

_It had been like so many other nights before, Luthien sneaking into Mithrandos' tiny room when the night warden's eyes were turned. On more nights than not, one of them would end up in the other's room, and the boys would spend some time lounging on the pallet, chatting with each other in whispers before they bid each other goodnight. But Luthien had no gossip to share that night; he seemed fidgety and so obviously troubled that after a while Mithrandos virtually begged him to speak his mind. _

'_Very well, then.' Luthien's dark eyes had burned into him. 'I will say what I must lest it strangles me.' Inching closer until they were almost nose to nose, he spoke in a hoarse whisper. 'Too long have I dwelled beside you and touched you only as a friend. And too long have I denied my feelings for you. I can do so no longer, Mithrandos.'_

_And Mithrandos had found himself suddenly at the receiving end of a crushing embrace and his best friend's lips on his. His heartbeat instantly doubled and he actually ceased to breathe for a moment as his own secret dreams suddenly became reality. Solitary fantasies in the middle of dark nights of a solid body pressed up against him, of calloused hands touching him gently, brown eyes looking at him with desire and dark hair tickling his bare skin…_

_He had wrapped his arms around Luthien, returning his kiss with equal passion and was rewarded with a hand fisting into his hair and an eager tongue gliding over his still closed lips. He opened his mouth at the same time as Luthien pressed him gently down onto his pallet and for a long time that night, there was no need for words anymore._

Now, at the edge of the pond, Mithrandos looked down at his hands in his lap, yet it were not his own hands he saw but Luthien's, chapped and strong; powerful enough to wield a sword so expertly that before long, none other than a full-fledged warrior could stand against him during practice. Yet Mithrandos also remembered the nights when those same hands were gliding over his skin and through his hair with a gentleness one would never associate with the fierce warrior that was Luthien.

They had to be extremely careful in concealing their newfound relationship, for although they had lived most of their young lives at the Temple of The Light, they were still only novices, Guardians in training, and the watchful eyes of their warrior-elders were ever upon them. There was good reason for their caution: Friendship among the future warriors was encouraged; love was not.

Yet they somehow found time – and places - to be together; an occasional stolen hour or two in a hidden cavern behind the Great Waterfall, or watching the sunset while wrapped in each other's arms from the entrance of a secret cave high up on the White Mountain, frequent fishing trips for the kitchen master of the temple that always turned into lovemaking sessions in their special, clandestine cove instead…Mithrandos still couldn't fathom how they managed to scrape up all the money they had to spend on buying fresh fish in the market place afterwards. Yet they did it gladly. For Mithrandos, it was a small price to pay if it meant time alone with Luthien. He had never been in love before, but for those times when he was wrapped in the other man's arms, felt his strong heartbeat under his hands and his voice whispering endearments in his ear, he would have gladly sold everything he owned.

Now, crouched on the grass before the holographic waterfall of the Wind Academy, images were flooding his mind, so vivid that Mithrandos blinked and shook his head in a futile attempt to dislodge these memories. And yet - this was the Luthien he wanted to remember, before his betrayal and defection to the Evil Powers. The man whose easy smile, quick wits and carefree attitude towards life had made Mithrandos feel things he had never felt before and would never feel again.

And then _it_ had happened – on the day before their Rite of Initiation, the ceremony that would elevate them from novices to full-fledged warriors and Guardians of The Light.

The abruptness of his lover's departure, without the slightest indication of his intentions, had ripped a hole into Mithrandos' heart that time could never mend.

Luthien had been his usual self at the temple's supper table, joking with the other novices and teasing Mithrandos about some aspect of his sword technique, then smirking when Mithrandos mock-challenged him to a duel the next day, accepting the summons with an exaggerated bow.

Later, however, he declined when Mithrandos asked to join him in his room.

'_It is the eve before the Initiation Ceremony and the eyes of the night guards will be twice as watchful tonight,'_ he had predicted. _'Besides, I am weary from training and we should both be well-rested for tomorrow.'_

Mithrandos had conceded and spent a solitary night on his pallet.

The next morning, Luthien was gone. Later that same day it was discovered that dozens of scrolls had been taken from the Hall of Secrets, containing some of the wizards of The Light's most powerful spells.

The theft and Luthien's disappearance were quickly connected, and for many days, dozens of Guardians combed the lands for the traitor. All returned empty-handed.

For Mithrandos, the next few days – and even his Initiation Ceremony – were nothing but a string of blurred events and the pain in his heart and soul nearly immobilized him. His fellow Guardians of course knew nothing of the love he felt for the traitor, but all knew of the brotherly bond between him and Luthien, and many made an effort to ease the pain of the betrayal. However, no words of comfort broke through the wall of misery around him.

Two seasons passed; Mithrandos rose, worked, ate, trained and attended to his Guardian duties in the temple, but he never smiled nor sought out the company of his fellow Guardians any more than necessary.

Then one night he was ripped from an uneasy sleep by the tolling of the alarm bells.

The village at the foot of the temple hill was in flames and by the time Mithrandos and his company of Guardians arrived, already more than a quarter of all houses were beyond salvaging. Villagers ran to and fro in mindless panic, and in the middle of it all - cocksure and completely unaffected by the raging inferno – stood Luthien.

The sight of him affected Mithrandos like a kick in the gut; clad in all black, brandishing a sword that clearly showed the markings of the Evil Powers all along its blade, Luthien stood tall and unmoving. He had changed; malignancy was radiating off him like a furnace blazing hotter than the fires all around him and his face was contorted in a grimace of rancor that made Mithrandos' blood run cold.

'_I am Luthien, son of Deshaara, Dark Queen of the Evil Powers of Ithrandar,'_ he roared in a voice so rough and filled with hate that Mithrandos barely recognized it. _'The time of the reign of Her Evil Majesty and me, the Dark Wizard, has come and soon, times of peace will be naught but a memory. Submit or perish!'_

Explosions to his left and right followed in the wake of his words. Mithrandos willed his wildly beating heart to slow down, then raised his sword and took a few steps forward. The dark wizard thrust out his hand. Flames leapt from it and bit into the ground mere inches from Mithrandos' boots.

'_The time for confrontation has not yet come, Mithrandos son of Angaroth, but rest assured that you will get your fill of battle. And the next time we meet, expect no more mercy from me.'_

And with that – and a last sneer – Luthien disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

Mithrandos, still completely stunned by the revelations of that encounter, all but drowned from heartache and treachery that night, now that the true origins of the man he had known practically all his life had finally been unraveled.

_The son of the queen of the Dark Powers_! Luthien had never been abandoned at the cattle barn all these years ago but rather been strategically placed into the midst of the Guardians. And all his life, while he lived and worked among them, had spied out the secrets of the magic of The Light. And no one ever suspected a thing!

That night, Mithrandos wept for the first time in his life.

The predicted battle came sooner than expected; hardly another season passed before Luthien returned to make good on his promise of death and destruction. And this time, he brought along an army of evil minions. The ensuing battle between the forces of Good and Evil was of unprecedented proportions.

For an entire day, the fields all around the Temple of The Light reverberated with the battle cries of men, the sounds of steel on steel and hoarse voices casting innumerable spells and counter-spells. The blood of the righteous as well as the vile stained the earth, but slowly, the Guardians and the wizards of The Light gained the upper hand.

The setting sun was casting rays of orange over Ithrandar when at last Mithrandos and Luthien faced each other on the battle field.

There were no more taunts or threats – nothing more needed to be said between them. Bone weary and numb from the horrors of the slaughter all around him, Mithrandos nevertheless reached inside him to find a hidden pocket of energy, an infusion of strength reserved for just this encounter. But when Luthien attacked, the sheer force of his sword stroke took Mithrandos by surprise. The Dark Sorcerer had been fighting at least as long as he had, yet he seemed to be burning with an inner fire, a blaze stoked by hate and dark magic. Mithrandos stood his ground, but a dark premonition came over him that it would take a miracle for him to defeat his former lover. Soon Mithrandos lost track of how long they traded strikes, thrusts, parries and magic spells. During his time at the temple, Luthien's swordsmanship had always been graceful, but now he just hacked at Mithrandos with a viciousness and power that forced the Guardian to put all his energy and resolve into his counter-attacks. It worked for quite a while – until he tripped.

Whether it was a root or the body of a fallen soldier Mithrandos never knew, but before he knew it, the world tilted and he was falling. Luthien immediately pursued his opportunity and before Mithrandos had even hit the ground, the Dark Wizard's weapon crashed into his blade. The blond captain of the Guardians felt his sword being ripped out of his hand by the impact. It struck the ground at the same time he did and he instinctively lunged for it. It was a mistake he paid dearly for. The motion momentarily turned his back to Luthien and the evil sorcerer never hesitated; with a cry of victory he struck, and the last thing Mithrandos remembered was his own scream of pain and the sorcerer's laugh in response.

The events afterwards, Mithrandos only knew from second-hand accounts. Realizing that Luthien was weakened from the intense and lengthy battle, the remaining wizards and Guardians of The Light converged on him and managed to keep him from dealing a second – and mortal – blow to Mithrandos. The wizards combined their magical energies and cast their most powerful spell of Inertia over him which rendered him unconscious.

With their leader captured and out of commission, the rest of the evil army quickly retreated.

Mithrandos, however, had been gravely injured. The Dark Wizard's sword had sliced open his back from the right collarbone all the way to the left hip bone. It took the combined efforts of the High Wizards of the temple of The Light just to keep their captain alive, but despite the healing spells no one was sure whether Mithrandos would live or ultimately succumb to his wounds.

He lived. When he finally cast off the fever and was strong enough to manage sitting up unaided, almost a month had passed.

By then Luthien, Dark Wizard of the Evil Powers, had already been judged by the council of High Wizards of The Light. As the son of the queen of the Dark Powers, he was too powerful to be killed by any mortal man or wizard; therefore it had been decided that he be placed inside a specially crafted sarcophagus where he was to remain under the charmed slumber spell until he expired of natural means.

Mithrandos had stood beside the stone casket and gazed into the slack countenance of the man he once loved. And there he had vowed to ascertain the death of the wizard by guarding him against any and all escape attempts until the time of his passing arrived.

Now Mithrandos sighed into the stillness of the California night. Even after all this time, the emotional scar on his heart still equaled in size the one that had been physically carved into his back so many seasons ago. The blade, the pain, Luthien's sneering face - it was all still so vivid in his mind...Unconsciously, Mithrandos shifted, his hand already halfway to his shoulder blade to rub the familiar spot before he snatched it back.

'_You are weak,'_ he chided himself silently. _'Focus! It avails you not to dwell on the past.'_

Resolutely, he knelt and thrust his hands into the pond. He splashed his face repeatedly, and the chilly water helped to wash away the ghosts of the past. _At least for now…_

He slumped back onto the mossy grass, unsure of what to do next. Should he go back to the underground cave or wander the forest for a while? _'But your memories are not so easily evaded, no matter where you go.'_

He spotted a small, flat stone in the grass a foot away from him. A tiny smile began to emerge at the corners of his mouth and he made a curt hand motion. The stone began at once to rise from the ground, floating in the air with a lazy spin. Mithrandos flicked his wrist and the stone shot across the pond, skipping merrily and causing half a dozen ripples on the water before it sank beneath the surface.

"Neat little trick."

Mithrandos was on his feet even before the voice had spoken its last word. The Guardian Saber crystal was in his hand in a lightning-quick motion, but before he could convert it to his weapon, the figure a few yards away raised its hands.

"Whoa, hey, it's just me, Cam. Didn't mean to startle you. Sorry."

Mithrandos closed his eyes briefly, willing his racing heartbeat to return to normal. "No need to apologize," he said, relaxing his shoulders and waving a hand to indicate the area around them. "This is your house, after all.  
"It is I who should be apologizing if I worried you with my absence," he added while he put the crystal back into his pouch.

"I wasn't worried; just wanted to make sure you're all right, though," Cam said softly. Mithrandos sank back down onto the grass.

"I am well…" he mumbled, but even to his own ears, it sounded pathetically unconvincing. Cam sat down next to him.

"Can't sleep?" he inquired softly.

Mithrandos gave a small smile. "Long I have slept before the Evil awoke me, and long I will sleep again once this task is over," he said. "I have no need to rest in between. At least not yet."

"Want some company?"

"Your companionship is welcome," the blond warrior said.

And in companionable silence they sat for a while, listening to the few late-night sounds of the forest until Mithrandos gave a barely audible sigh.

"It is beautiful out here. The magic of nature never fails to lighten my mind."

Cam didn't lose a beat. "Well, being that it's two o'clock in the morning, there must be a lot on your mind, then."

"The thought of the Black Wizard walking this realm free and unchecked is enough to worry me greatly."

Shifting slightly where he sat on the grass, Cam said, "Mithrandos, about the Black Wizard..."

Mithrandos' head came up. "You wish to know more about the One I am seeking."

Cam nodded in affirmation. "I always try to find out as much as possible about the enemies of my world. You never know what information might come in handy later on."

"Wise words," the Guardian agreed. "And a good strategy.  
"Luthien is human, but more," he began. "The Dark Powers have infused him with a blackened soul so malignant that it is beyond any hope of redemption. The black magic is strong within him. I have felt it surround him like a cloak when we fought, a dark force coursing through his body like a river in perpetual flood."

Cam suddenly had the crazy notion that at any moment Darth Vader would be stepping around a tree trunk, hold out a black-gloved hand towards them and say, _Luke, I am your father!_

He stoically ignored the urge to scan his surroundings, keeping his eyes instead fixed on the blond warrior next to him.

"And whoever cannot be turned from the path of evil, the Guardians have to dispose of. Such has been the way since times unreckoned." Mithrandos glared at the pond, clearly seeing the past in the platinum surface of the water.

Cam cast him a scrutinizing look. "How did you end up as a Guardian of The Light, if you don't mind my asking?"

"I had no say in the matter." Mithrandos shrugged. "I was the Chosen One of my family, destined to be the next Keeper of the Secrets of The Light before I was even conceived, for I am the seventh son of the seventh son of the Keeper of the Seventh Era of Ithrandar," he said matter-of-factly and Cam couldn't help but chuckle.

"Wow, try saying _that_ seven times in a row," he said, then threw Mithrandos a wary side glance, worried that he might have unintentionally offended his visitor, but the Guardian only laughed softly.

"You are not the first one to jest about that," he said, grinning. "Luthien would often laugh about the irony of our friendship, since our stations in life were so utterly different."

A frown appeared between Cam's brows and he looked sharply at Mithrandos. "Wait a minute; you and the sorcerer are friends?"

"_Were _friends," Mithrandos corrected immediately, once again averting his eyes.

The light from the nearly full moon reflecting off the water was bright; bright enough for Cam to see the warrior wizard next to him playing with a loosely tied strip of plaited dark leather around his wrist. Mithrandos must have sensed Cam looking, for without taking his eyes off the water's surface, he said, "This was a token of our friendship."

Cam didn't need to ask who he was talking about.

"Many years we wore these identical wristbands. Since his conversion to the Dark Magic, my hand has clutched it many times, ready to rip it from my wrist and cast it into the nearest fire - and yet, never can I follow through with it."

Cam nodded in perfect understanding. "Because it reminds you of better times."

At that, Mithrandos looked up from the wristband, his eyes fixing Cam with a gaze comprised of surprise and amusement. "You know, Cam son of Kanoi, if you lived in my dominion, I believe that camaraderie between us would have come easily." His mouth formed into a small smile and Cam couldn't help but return it. The moment passed, however, and Mithrandos' expression once again turned solemn.

"So, about those better times..." Cam pressed.

"You are touching a sore spot." Mithrandos said quietly. "A wound that might never heal." A shadow seemed to settle over his face and a pang of guilt shot through Cam.

"I'm sorry; I know it's certainly none of my business," he apologized. "...but if it will make you feel better to talk about it - I'll listen."

Mithrandos looked thoughtful for a minute. "Perhaps it might. Gloom has a way of weighing down the spirit. In Ithrandar, I could speak to no one of this matter, but here..." His eyes settled on Cam and the samurai waited silently.

"You asked whether Luthien and I were friends. We were – and more than that."

Eyes slightly widening in surprise, Cam said, "Are you saying that…you and he...?"

Mithrandos just nodded. "We were raised in the Temple of The Light together what feels like many men's lifetimes ago. He had been brought there at a very young age, an orphan. I had been turned over to the Brotherhood in preparation for my destiny as a Guardian of The Light. Side by side we lived, trained and worked, and I grew to believe he and I might have a future together." Mithrandos paused, plucking at a blade of grass to give Cam a moment to digest the revelation.

"That was before I knew him to be a spawn of the Evil Forces. It was his task to infiltrate the temple and spy out our secrets. He was very good at it, too. Even in very... private moments, I never sensed the malice in him. But I was only a novice at the time, and not much schooled in the finer ways of detecting evil."

Cam waited for more, and when nothing came he asked, "But I take it he was discovered eventually?"

"No. The night before our initiation ceremony to become full Guardians of The Light he simply…left." Mithrandos paused, his gaze once again traveling towards the waterfall. "He did not wish to share my pallet that night, and I did not think ill about it. It had been a long and taxing day of practice and temple chores and we were both weary. The following morning he was gone. Not a trace of him remained.

"Naught but memories," he added in a murmur.

"Only later did it dawn on me that he would have been revealed as a traitor of the Evil Forces had he ever stepped foot into the inner sanctum where the Powers of The Light are housed and partaken in the initiation ritual. Nothing in a man's heart can be concealed from the eternal magic of The Light. The evil hidden inside him would have been laid bare, so he chose retreat instead. He escaped with much information about the secrets of The Light that were never meant for the eyes and ears of the Evil Forces. It has done much harm to the Guardians."

"I can imagine," Cam said and Mithrandos cast him a look that clearly said _'can you really?_'

"That whole thing must have been…" Scratching his head somewhat awkwardly, Cam searched for an appropriate word. "…hard," he finally said lamely.

Mithrandos made a noise that could have been a snort. "I would dream with eyes open of the day the Guardian mark would be drawn across our brows," he said. "From that day forth, as full-blooded Guardians, we would have had no need to conceal our love any longer. In my mind, I saw us walking down the path of life together, shoulder to shoulder until our seasons would draw to an end. Such folly!"

For a moment Mithrandos glared at his hands fisted in his lap before he apparently remembered that Cam was still next to him. He straightened his shoulders and faced his host, his expression carefully blank now. "I am sorry if I troubled your mind with this bitter tale."

Cam was quick to shake his head, however. "No, you didn't. I just can't stand it when evil things happen to good people, that's all."

They sat quietly next to each other for a long moment until the technician cleared his throat.

"Well, it's late and I should try to catch at least _some_ sleep." Cam rose, wiping a few sparse blades of grass from his jeans. "I'll see you back inside once you're ready, okay?" He gave Mithrandos a nod and turned to go, but the Guardian's voice made him pause.

"Cam?"

The warrior wizard's eyes were on him. "Your friends…noble warriors they all are, no doubt, but…" he began, but Cam was already holding up a hand.

"No need to worry," he said. "If you don't want anyone to know what was said here tonight – I won't tell."

A grave look and a grateful nod was the only reply he received, but it was enough. Cam inclined his head in return and forced a small smile onto his face before he turned and slowly made his way back to Ninja Ops, his gait weighted down by the gravity of his visitor's fate; betrayed by possibly the only man Mith had ever loved, and destined to guard that former lover's magically induced sleep until he died of natural means once he managed to place him back under the spell Lothor had broken. _If _he managed to do so.

To say that love sucked sometimes was a serious understatement in Mith's case.

_TBC…_


	6. Chapter 6

**_Meanwhile, on Lothor's ship…_**

"Marah, look, he's waking up!"

"Sweet! Oh, I'm so exciiiiteeed!"

The black-clad man winced at the high-pitched sound of the girls' voices and his eyes slowly opened all the way. Almost immediately, his aura of evil seemed to strengthen until it encompassed the small chamber. The effect on Marah and Kapri was that of an undiluted aphrodisiac. Their puppy eyes became almost impossibly large as they hovered over him with expressions of adoration.

The stranger ignored them. Instead he sat up on the cot and gave the bland and murky surroundings of the space ship's guest quarters a visual survey before his gaze came to rest on Marah and Kapri. His eyes were dark and utterly cold.

"Where am I? What has transpired here? This is not the realm of Ithrandar," he growled and the girls' grins wavered. Kapri glowered at her sister.

"Well, so much for 'love at first sight'. Great theory _that _was, sis." The pink-haired girl straightened her shoulders self-importantly as she regarded their visitor. "Uh, you're on our uncle Lothor's space ship," she said.

"Yeah, and we rescued you," Marah chimed in, but a moment later her face fell at the lack of appreciation her words evoked from the stranger, for the dark-haired man merely glanced between the girls with a thoughtful expression.

"Your uncle - he is the captain of this...ship?"

"Yeah, yeah! And not only is he this ship's captain, he's also the Ultimate Evil Space Ninja and soon-to-be-ruler of Earth!" Kapri beamed, first at the stranger, then at her sister. "Hey, that has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I never thought of it this way," Marah agreed with a grin of her own. "That would make us, like, First Ladies of Earth or something like that."

They both flinched when the stranger suddenly leapt up from the cot. He was a tall and imposing figure and the girls shrank under his penetrating cold gaze.

"I must seek council with him immediately!"

Kapri cocked her head. "Huh? Oh, you want to _talk_ to him! Yeah, okay, but listen, if you're not doing anything later..." she chirped, but the handsome stranger merely strode by her and towards the door.

"I should like to talk to your uncle now, Miladies, if you would take me to him, please," he said with a curt bow, and despite the courteous wording it was a command rather than an inquiry. The authority in his voice left no room to argue and the girls scurried by him and through the door, leading the way to the bridge of the ship.

Lothor was in ready pose perched atop his throne when the double doors of the bridge swished open and the Dark Sorcerer strode in. The evil space ninja sat up a little straighter and gave his visitor his best haughty look.

"So, you're awake, I see."

The stranger came to a halt before the throne and fixed Lothor with a direct gaze. Lothor found his spine tingling. Those brown eyes had an almost hypnotic quality, and he could see even better now why his nieces were all but drooling over this man; he was tall and well-built with a hard-lined yet handsome face. Thick dark-brown hair fell down to between his shoulder blades and he stood with the proud, straight-backed posture of a man completely confident in his abilities. Lothor had every intention of finding out what those abilities could do. _For him_.

"My Lord Lothor of the Evil Space Ninjas, I presume?" the stranger inquired.

"You presume correctly."

"I am Luthien, son of queen Deshaara of the Dark Powers of Ithrandar and commander of her Evil Army. I have been told that I have you to thank for my rescue from the cursed slumber. For this you have my gratitude everlasting." The Dark Wizard executed a fluid and graceful sweeping bow and Lothor's expression turned smug.

"Well, I'm sure we can come up with some way for you to put that gratitude to use and repay me for my heroic deed. Now, I don't know what corner of the galaxy you came from or why you're here, but you're in _my_ corner of the universe now and therefore you'd be best advised to throw in your lot with me. I do have a few problems I could use a hand with." While he spoke, the evil space ninja rose from his throne and descended the steps until he was eye to eye with his seemingly new ally. "I have a feeling that together we can do some serious damage."

The two men smirked at each other, then Lothor put a hand on Luthien's shoulder and steered him towards the bridge's viewing screen. "Let me show you the target, my friend."

Luthien stared silently at the blue/green globe on the screen while Lothor elaborated.

"This is Earth, my soon-to-be empire. But before I can extend complete control, I have to first defeat these pesky nuisances."

Lothor practically sneered the last two words while he punched some buttons and the screen switched to show a battle between a huge, hideous-looking pig monster and six warriors clad in strange, tight-fitting garments of half a dozen different colors. Their heads were encased by round contraptions and their faces concealed by darkened screens. Yet they apparently managed to see just fine, since they wielded their swords with obvious skills and power. The teamwork between the six fighters was fluid and seemingly effortless and the monster did not last the whole of five minutes before it exploded in a fireball of orange and red. The faceless figures touched their left wrists and the armor around them evaporated.

Luthien was surprised at how young these warriors were. With an expressionless face he watched the six teens laughing and slapping each other's palms, but Lothor scowled and stabbed a gloved finger at the screen.

"And that's what happens every time I send one of my monsters to Earth." He fixed the sorcerer with a hard look. "Any ideas as to what to do about that?"

Luthien merely smirked at him. "So your plans of world domination are repeatedly being thwarted by an army of...six youths?" he observed wryly.

Lothor folded his arms across his chest and scowled at the sorcerer. "Yeah, yeah, rub it in, will ya?"

Chuckling, Luthien turned from the monitor. "Fear not, my newfound friend; I shall attend to your problem."

"By yourself?" Lothor frowned suspiciously. "At least let me send a few dozen of my kelzaks with you."

"I need no aid for this."

"Aren't you a little overconfident? The Rangers are tougher than they look." Lothor indicated the viewing screen. "You've seen the tape, you've seen what they can do." The evil space ninja scratched his leather-swathed chin. "It's too bad there…uh...wasn't enough time to save your friend. I probably could have brainwashed him and turned him to our side. The more the better, I always say."

Luthien narrowed his eyes. "Friend?"

"Yeah, the other guy in the crate with you, the one all dressed in white. I was about to rescue him, too, but before I could, the Power Rangers showed up and..."

Lothor all but flinched when all of a sudden the Dark Sorcerer was within an inch from his masked face.

"This white-clad man," Luthien said urgently. "Describe him to me."

"Heck, I didn't look that closely at him, but he was about your height and age, I guess - and way too blond. Why?"

"Was there a tattoo drawn across his brow?"

Lothor thought for a moment. "There was something there, yeah. Could have been a tattoo or a smudge of dirt, I don't know."

Luthien turned away, rubbing his jaw thoughtfully. "Could it be?" he muttered under his breath and balled his hand into a tight fist. "Mithrandos! You just won't die, will you?"

Lothor cast the sorcerer a scrutinizing look but something in the dark stranger's glowering expression told him it was probably not a good idea to ask for a more in-depth explanation.

With his eyes still fixed on his white-knuckled fist, Luthien asked, "The Guardian – do you know his whereabouts?"

"I think he's with them." Lothor inclined his head towards the display monitor. "With the Rangers."

Luthien turned to him again. "It was folly to leave him behind, but it matters not. I have beaten him before, I can do so again."

**_Not_**_ his friend, then. Okay_. Lothor shrugged. "Good attitude. Now, let's talk plans here..." He motioned towards a long, rectangular conference table, but Luthien didn't move. He remained motionless, staring, thinking, for another long moment. When his head finally lifted again, his face was once again blank and he looked around as if seeing the room he stood in for the first time.

"Your dwelling…it is dark, bland, and cheerless."

Lothor blinked at the abrupt change of topic. "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly the 'multicolored paper party lanterns' kind of guy," he began, but Luthien waved him off with a smirk.

"It suits you. And it appeals to me," he said. "It reminds me of my mother's abode; the Black Mountain." He fixed Lothor with an intense gaze. "I sense the malice surrounding you, Lothor Lord of evil ninjas, and it soothes my soul, for it tells me that you are a brethren of the Dark Powers as am I. We might not be kindred of blood, but we surely are kindred of minds." The sorcerer strode towards his host until the two men were less than a foot apart. Then his voice dropped to a conspiratorial tone.

"Your wenches also spoke of this realm of Earth." Luthien nodded towards the screen. "You desire to be its ultimate ruler? I will help you." The sorcerer's deep brown eyes seemed to stare right into Lothor's mind. "I shall dispose of the Guardian and those child-warriors and then…"

"…Earth will be mine for the taking!" Lothor roared triumphantly.

"No."

"What?" Lothor spun around and found Luthien's eyes on him, cold and hard.

"It will be _ours_ for the taking!"

"Oh, yeah…sure. Ours." Lothor forced a smile. "Of course. Partner."

Luthien held up his fist. "Fear shall flood the land and all creatures, man or beast, shall bow before us. If I cannot rule my own world, then -" here he paused for the briefest of instants, for he had almost slipped and said _I_, "- _we_ will rule this one!"

Lothor barked a gleeful laugh. "Now you're talking!"

"And spells of ruin I shall cast upon the lands where the rabble opposes us."

"Just remember not to underestimate the Rangers," Lothor felt the need to remind him.

Luthien gave a dismissive snort. "Six children, no matter what their pitiful powers might be, are no match for me." He grinned. "You have not yet seen what I am capable of, my friend."

He bent down and, to Lothor's surprise, pulled off his right boot. He pulled out something that looked vaguely like a glass shard and for the first time since his arrival on the bridge Lothor saw the Dark Sorcerer's expression soften as he gazed at the crystal in his hand.

"The oh-so-righteous High Wizards might have condemned me to eternal sleep, yet they did not see it fit to search me thoroughly enough before the sarcophagus-prison became my home." He held up the shard. "An oversight that the Guardian will now pay for dearly."

A flash of dark light shot from his hand and a moment later he was grasping the hilt of a large, wicked-looking sword. The black steel of the serrated blade shone faintly in the dim light of the spaceship's bridge and when Luthien held it up, Lothor could see strange markings and symbols carved into the steel as well as into the silver material of the hilt. The pommel had been fashioned in the shape of a dragon's head. A beautiful yet menacing weapon.

Luthien was staring at his sword as if mesmerized. "The Cursed Blade of Ithrandar once again thirsts for pain." He grinned. It was not a pretty sight "Now…" His gaze settled back on Lothor again. "How do I find these…_Power Rangers?_"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Lothor smirked and pointed towards the view screen once again. "Once you wreak enough havoc among the people down there, _they_ will find _you_! And I'm pretty sure that your Guardian will be right along with them."

Luthien hefted his sword. "Then watch and be entertained as you witness your enemies' demise."

And the bridge of the space ship echoed with the sounds of their dual cackles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, the Wind and Thunder ninjas showed up at their underground headquarters extra early, doubtlessly pulled back more by their curiosity about the other-dimensional stranger than their desire for Ranger training.

They found Cam in his customary position at the computer, still working on the calculations of the reverse energy beam, while Mithrandos was crouched by the mobile guinea pig habitat where Sensei was showing him the mechanics of his miniature television set. The blond Guardian was flipping through channels with an expression somewhere between incredulity and amusement when the ninjas arrived.

"I take it there weren't any sightings of the sorcerer yet, Cam?" Shane inquired.

Cam shook his head in negation without looking up from the latest algorithm on his screen. "No, and that's a good thing, considering how bogged down my system still is with all those calculations."

"So what should we do in the meantime?" Blake asked. The question was directed at no one in particular. "Do some more sparring?"

"We could take Mithrandos to the track, show him how to ride a 250," Hunter suggested and the proposal earned him several wry looks.

Dustin suddenly turned to Mithrandos. "Hey, I have an idea. You want to check out the town, Mith?" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "Better than hanging around down here all day."

Mithrandos inclined his head thoughtfully. "I must admit I am curious to see your world," he said.

Tori joined the group around Sensei's habitat, her face splitting into a grin. "I think that's a great idea! I'll drive," she offered.

The blond Guardian returned the TV remote to Sensei with a bow and rose, fixing the Water ninja with his bright green gaze and a smile. "I would be honored to have you accompany us, Milady."

A few feet away Blake's face transformed into a scowl; one that Hunter picked up on and reacted to promptly. "Hey, you wanna come along, bro?" he asked quickly.

"I wish I could," the Navy Ranger replied and his eyes said _'believe me, I do!'_ "but I've got to be at Storm Chargers. My shift starts in half an hour." He did not look happy about that and Hunter clapped him on the shoulder with a look that said _'don't worry, I'll make sure that no lines get crossed'._

"What about you, Shane?" Dustin asked. "You coming?"

"Yeah, Dude, I'd love to."

"...but it's his ZBM day," Cam injected and fixed the Red Ranger with a stern look from his computer chair.

Shane groaned. "Man, I was hoping you'd forget."

The others grimaced in sympathy. None of them liked Zord Bay Maintenance day, a task Cam came up with a few months ago after the Thunder Rangers had joined them and the technician's workload increased from three to five zords. Not long after Cam had presented them with a drawn-up work schedule for each of them to assist him in 'light repair and other maintenance duties', which pretty much came out to the chosen Ranger of the day handing Cam assorted tools during repairs, washing the zords and helping out with general cleaning duties in the Zord Bay.

The Air ninja cast Sensei Watanabe an imploring look, but the guinea pig only raised his shoulders in a shrug as if to say _'Down here, Cam rules.'_

"Guess it's just us then, guys," Dustin said to Tori and Hunter, then jerked his head towards the stairs with a grin. "Let's hit the town!"

"Hold up." Hunter held them back. "We should swing by Blake's and my place first."

Dustin and Tori threw him inquiring looks and Hunter directed his gaze at Mithrandos. "Hey, this might be California, but even for around there, this may be pushing it a little," he quipped, indicating their visitor's flowing white garments. "Besides, we don't want to attract any unnecessary attention."

Mithrandos looked down onto his Guardian uniform, then back at the ninjas, a self-conscious expression on his face. He cast Cam a look and the technician inclined his head. "Hunter's got a point."

"Don't worry," the Thunder ninja said. "We're pretty much the same height. I'm sure I have some stuff that'll fit you."

"Very well, then," Mithrandos conceded. "I shall adhere to the clothing customs of your realm."

With bows on the Guardian's part and cries of "see ya'll later" from Dustin, Tori and Hunter, the little group ascended the stairs and Hunter's voice floated back into the command center just before the trapdoor above fell shut.

"Hope you like crimson."

_TBC…_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Getting closer to the final battle scene – the next chapter will be pretty action-packed!  
Spoilers for "Sensei Switcheroo" ahead…_

Not much later, after a pit stop at the Bradleys' place, Tori, Dustin and Hunter were showing their visitor around downtown Blue Bay Harbor. Mithrandos' transformation from other-dimensional Guardian to everyday California boy had gone quite smoothly, but even in one of Hunter's long-sleeved crimson T-shirts, jeans and sneakers, Mithrandos still attracted quite a bit of attention as they walked along the shopping promenade, mainly from female passers-by.

Tori was of the opinion that it was definitely due to the young man's looks; with his golden-blond mane, impressive physique and proud, straight-backed posture, Mithrandos was unquestionably a sight that turned heads. Hunter, on the other hand, was insistent that the looks Mith received was either due to the very obvious tattoo along his temple or the way the tall warrior studied everyone and everything he came across in open wonder.

They came to a crosswalk and while they waited for the light to turn, Mithrandos' head kept swiveling back and forth, taking in everything from the cars on the street to the formidable concrete and steel facades of the commercial high-rises on the other side.

"The peoples of your world certainly have a mind of metal and stone," he said with unconcealed amazement. "Not to mention of height!"

Tori and Dustin grinned; Hunter smirked as well, but a sudden perception of eyes on him made him turn his head. Next to him a woman with a baby carriage was openly staring at them, a look between perplexity and incredulity on her face. Hunter gave her his most indulgent smile. "My cousin. It's, ah, his first time in a big city. He's visiting...from the country."

It wasn't even a downright lie: Yesterday over pizza slices, Mithrandos had told the ninjas more about life in Ithrandar and with its rural villages, temples, castles and wizards, it had had a very Arthurian ring to it.

He had not mentioned advanced technologies of any kind. Magic seemed to be the technology in Ithrandar. So it was quite understandable why Mithrandos, captain of the Guardians of The Light, was walking around downtown Blue Bay Harbor with an expression similar to a three-year-old on Christmas morning, namely complete wonder.

He was so enthralled with the high-rising architecture of the city that Tori and Hunter both had to yank him back from walking straight into traffic or into other pedestrians a few times.

After a while the three ninjas agreed that answering a steady flow of questions while at the same time trying to keep their other-dimensional visitor alive and away from traffic was quite a hunger-inducing chore. So when they turned a corner and spotted a pair of familiar golden arches up ahead, Dustin and Hunter steered right for the restaurant while the Earth ninja called to Tori and Mith from over his shoulder, "C'mon, dudes, it's Big Mac Value Meal time!"

"Big...what?" Mithrandos asked.

"It's a...uh, classic staple of our food," Tori explained. "Bread, beef, fried potato sticks...probably not even that different from what you're used to eating." She smiled and took his arm. "Come on, I bet you'll like it."

Mithrandos did follow her but the look he cast her before they entered the restaurant was distinctly unconvinced.

_**Later…**_

Cam, Shane and Sensei were assembled in the command center a few hours later when voices and footsteps announced the return of the sightseers.

"Hey, guys," Tori called out with a wide grin and gestured towards Mithrandos who was coming down the stairs behind her. "May we present...Mith! Just your average California boy."

"As long as he doesn't open his mouth," came Hunter's bemused contribution.

Now the Guardian in question came into view as he descended the last few steps, a backpack slung over one shoulder that doubtlessly contained his Ithrandarian clothes.

"The vestments of your world are strange indeed," was the first thing out of his mouth and Hunter crossed his arms and smirked complacently.

"Case in point!"

"Well, you definitely look more inconspicuous this way." Cam gave the shirt-and-jeans-clad Guardian an assessing once-over. Next to him, Shane was looking between Mithrandos and Hunter with an amused expression.

"Okay, that's just freaky," he murmured to Cam. "Looks as if Hunter somehow acquired an older brother overnight."

The corners of Cam's mouth twitched as he watched the little group saunter past the command center table. "A temporary brother at best if Blake has anything to say in that matter."

Shane just smirked.

"So, how do you like our quaint little town, Mithrandos?" Sensei wanted to know.

Mithrandos put down the backpack. "Wagons that move by themselves, birds of steel that fly without beating their wings..." He shook his head slightly as if he still couldn't believe it all. "You say there is no such thing as magic in this world, yet I have seen more magic these past few hours than I ever did in Ithrandar."

"Technology, not magic," Cam corrected him automatically, but Mithrandos' attention was focused on Sensei Watanabe while he launched into a recount of all the things he had seen in the city.

Meanwhile the rest of the gang made their way to the Supercomputer. Hunter nodded towards the gibberish of numbers and formulae on the screen.

"Any updates on your project, Cam?"

"Well, the results from the conversion of the energy beam into the reverse algorithm are finally complete," the technician replied, albeit the way he said it let the Rangers know that he wasn't all that pleased with the results.

"So what's the problem?"

"That right there." Cam pointed to a number at the end of a lengthy formula that could have been written in hieroglyphics for all the team knew.

After a moment of confused silence, Dustin said, "That number looks, like, really high."

"It's not just high, Dustin, it's _'out there'_, to use a phrase from your vocabulary," Cam said and the gloomy tone in his voice was audible to them all.

Tori was chewing on her thumbnail, looking thoughtful. "What could possibly generate an energy beam that powerful?"

"Theoretically only two things: A nuclear explosion, which in our case would be useless since the energy output is completely erratic whereas the power we need has to be of that exact magnitude down to the last number behind the decimal point." Cam once again nodded towards the screen and Tori gazed at the dismally long number again. There were quite a few digits behind that decimal point.

"Otherwise..."

"Otherwise there is no way of saying where the sarcophagus will end up." Cam pushed his glasses further up his nose. "If it doesn't get destroyed."

"So what's the second option?" the Crimson Ranger wanted to know.

"The Hurricane Megazord. But there is a problem with that, too. We've never generated a beam of that force, so there's no way of predicting what would happen." Cam looked troubled. "It could overload the entire system - or worse."

Hunter cast a surreptitious glance at Mithrandos a few yards away, ostensibly to judge whether the Guardian was overhearing any of this, then lowered his voice. "So you don't think it can be done."

"I don't know." Cam rubbed his jaw wearily. "I'll have to make some adjustments to both the Megazord's hardware and software, run some simulations..."

"Uh...do you need us for any of that?" Shane piped up. "'cause I'm starving after all that Zord Bay cleaning, dude."

The technician's weary look turned wry as he regarded the Red Ranger. "You're not the only hungry one. But, no, go ahead; I can handle this on my own."

"If you wish...I could prepare today's meal."

Cam and Shane both turned at the sound of Mithrandos' voice. The Guardian was strolling towards them with Sensei perched on his shoulder and he fixed the group of ninjas with a formal gaze. "All of you have shown me naught but hospitality since my arrival. It is only right I should return the gesture in whatever small way I can.  
"Worry not," he added with a smile when he caught Cam's wary look. "I have been told a few times in the past that I am a half-skilled cook."

Shane, never disinclined towards an invitation that involved food, rubbed his hands together and grinned. "Cool. Whatcha got in mind?"

"Well, first we need to find a cow…" Mithrandos paused when he saw the smirks appearing on the faces of the teens gathered around him. "Have I said something wrong? Do you not have cows in your realm?"

That earned him a round of snickers. "Oh, we've got cows all right, but we don't have to go searching for them if it's steaks you got in mind," Cam informed him and nodded towards the kitchenette. "As a matter of fact, I have some right here in the freezer. I'm pretty sure it's enough for all of us."

Mithrandos followed Cam into the kitchen and watched as the technician extracted eight ziplock-bagged beef steaks from the freezer compartment above the refrigerator. Puzzled, the Guardian looked between the freezer and the frozen pieces of meat on the counter, then rapped a knuckle against one of them. "A device to freeze food," he mumbled and in his face Cam could see the unspoken part of that sentence. '_Magic again.'_

He tried to hide his grin. _No. Technology_. "I can just defrost them in the microwave," he offered, but Mithrandos was already lining up the rock-hard steaks on the counter and slowly waved his hand back, then forth, over them.

"...or you can do _that_," he observed wryly as he watched each steak seemingly flash-defrost under the blond warrior's palm. Mithrandos piled the now completely thawed pieces of meat onto a plate, nodded to himself and turned, heading out of the kitchenette and towards the stone steps with his stack of steaks. Cam cast a puzzled look at the Guardian's retreating back.

"Uh, where are you going?"

Mithrandos thrust a thumb over his shoulder. "Into the forest to gather wood and prepare the fireplace. Will you bring some skillets in a little while? And a few spices?"

A grin spread over Cam's face. "Yeah, sure. No problem." _Guess we're eating outside today. _

_**Prelude to battle…**_

"So Sensei was like BAM! BAM! POW! Lothor's paintbrush-heads had no chance!" From his spot around the fire, Dustin punched the air a few times in emphasis, and his vibratory enthusiasm drew laughter from the rest of the group, including Mithrandos.

The seven of them were lounging around the campfire Mithrandos had built, munching steaks and guzzling sodas. The scent of burning wood and grilled meat mingled with the fragrances of the forest: oak trees and pine cones, Spanish moss and untainted air. Out here one could easily be tricked into believing that there was not a care in this world.

Earlier, Cam had provided Mithrandos with the requested skillets and spices and half an hour later, Mithrandos in turn had presented the gang with the perfectly cooked steaks they were now devouring with obvious relish.

For the sake of reminiscence as well as Mithrandos' entertainment, Dustin had launched into a recount of Cam's ill-fated attempt at converting his father's body back to his human form a few months ago. The ensuing body-switching disasters between Sensei, Dustin and Shane now had everyone in various stages of amusement.

Mithrandos grinned at Cam. "So your technology-magic is not infallible after all."

"The technology was sound," Cam countered. "The procedure would have worked for sure if _somebody_ hadn't felt the need to stick his hands into the energy flow." He underscored the remark with a mock-stern look into Dustin's direction.

It didn't faze Dustin in the least. "But you gotta admit, though; Sensei looked really smooth in that Yellow Ranger suit."

Shane momentarily paused from his task of pouring barbecue sauce over his meat. "Aren't you forgetting my part in that whole story, man?"

Dustin gave him a cheeky grin. "No. Actually I'm trying to spare you some embarrassment here, dude, since we all remember the whole skateboarding fiasco. But, hey, I can act it out for Mith, if you want…"

Shane shoved his teammate playfully. "Hey, Sensei may not know how to skateboard, but he kicked some serious kelzak-butt in my body, too!"

"What about you, Mith?" Tori leaned forward, peering around Blake who had made sure to interpose himself between the blond Guardian and the Water ninja. "I'm sure you have a couple of outrageous stories to tell, too."

Mithrandos thought for a moment. "Well, there was the time when..."

_** CRAAACKKKK!**_

As one, six ninjas and one other-dimensional warrior flinched at the sound of the thunder clap directly overhead. Before their upturned eyes, the skies changed; blue turned to grey and grey darkened to charcoal. And with the unnatural darkness came the hot rains.

It wasn't the gradual precipitation of an ordinary thunderstorm. No - it was as if someone had turned on a faucet. The startled Rangers scrambled to their feet, their clothes and hair already plastered onto their bodies before they were fully upright.

"What the...?"

"Ouch, this is _hot_!"

"What's going on? Lothor…"

Mithrandos stood, unaffected by the hot wetness. "Darkness before dusk and scalding rains; the signs of the Dark Powers," he said gravely. "The sorcerer draws near. It seems that secrecy avails him no longer; his evil plans are afoot."

The grinning young man from a few moments ago was gone, replaced by a battle-ready warrior. Mithrandos' expression was now hardened by determination. "He is not far, I am certain of that. I can find him..."

"All right, let's go, then."

The Guardian opened his mouth at Shane's exclamation, ready to protest, but Dustin cut him off.

"If you're going to say _Stay Here_, then you're out of luck, dude. We're coming with you."

"Especially since Lothor will most likely be with him and probably an army of kelzaks, too," Hunter added grimly.

"Let's head to Ninja Ops first," Cam decided. "We'll be able to track their exact location much faster if we use the Supercomputer."

They quickly made their way back to their headquarters and although the hot rain was still soaking them, they all felt a chill of foreboding.

_**Preparations…**_

Sensei was already on the computer console when they stumbled into the command center. Cam rushed to his customary position in front of the terminal and executed a search for unnatural activity in the surrounding area. The results were almost instantaneous.

The screen showed downtown Blue Bay Harbor, the same area where Dustin, Hunter, Tori and Mithrandos had been sightseeing just a few hours before.

Chaos reigned there now; the premature darkness and steaming rains were descending there, too, but it was the figure in black hovering ten feet off the ground above the major intersection that people were fleeing from in panic. Snarling, and with a look of utter contempt, the dark sorcerer Luthien watched the terror-stricken crowd below him.

Flames were leaping from his outstretched hands and behind him, lightning ripped through the heavens. Every bolt struck something; a building, a lamppost, a car. The destruction was mounting quickly.

Cam cast an urgent glance at Mithrandos, but the Guardian's face was set as if in stone while he stared at the screen.

"We cannot lose time, for he will not spare innocent lives," he said. "I must prepare quickly."

He turned and hurried towards the backpack he had left propped against the command table, extracted his white uniform and took a small crystal from his leather pouch. He held it up and with a flash it converted into a shape resembling a shirt which seemed to consist of tiny, interlocking rings forming a mesh.

Hunter approached from his position behind Cam's chair to get a better look "Chain mail?" he asked, somewhat incredulous, but Mithrandos only nodded solemnly.

"The sorcerer is a formidable adversary." He put the chain mail shirt on the table and in one quick motion, pulled his borrowed crimson shirt over his head, revealing a pale but muscular torso with a smooth chest and tight stomach.

If same-sex attraction had been Hunter's thing, he probably would have felt a tug of desire towards this otherworldly warrior at that moment, but since it was not, he was merely wondering how many daily crunches it took Mithrandos to retain the washboard abs he was sporting. Or how many magic potions, for that matter.

Mithrandos fixed Hunter with an intense gaze. "Luthien is cunning and he does not fight honorably. The first time we battled I was unprepared for him; I shall not be so today." He paused, then slowly turned until Hunter, and the rest of the team, had a direct look at his back. He brushed his hair out of the way. "This was the result of my carelessness."

A collective gasp erupted from the group of ninjas. Across the entire length of Mithrandos' back, from the right shoulder blade to the left hip bone, ran a thick, red scar, the puckered, injured tissue stretching with every little movement that the blond warrior made.

"A memento from Luthien's blade," he said softly.

There was a long moment of silence during which the Guardian could clearly sense his newfound friends' shock and consternation at the sight of his ruined back.

"You've lived through _this_?" came Tori's half-whispered exclamation.

"Only with the aid and the healing magic of the High Wizards of The Light," Mithrandos said over his shoulder. "For three days I floated in the grey lands between life and death. It is not an experience I wish to repeat, so you will understand my need for extra preparations for this battle."

And while the Rangers still stared in horror at the hideous wound, Mithrandos reached for his chain mail shirt again. Once donned, he pulled his white Guardian tunic over his head and the Rangers discreetly turned their heads while Mithrandos finished changing to talk amongst themselves.

The realization of what their opponent was capable of had put a damper on their spirits.

"What if Mith can't defeat this guy?" Dustin said. "What if things...go the other way round?"

A deep frown marred Shane's features. "Then things are definitely going to go downhill from then," he said grimly.

"Not just downhill," Cam mumbled. "More like straight off the cliff."

The team shared some downhearted looks between each other, but looked up when Mithrandos re-joined the group and handed Hunter his clothes back with a solemn face.

"I shall face Luthien with the crest of the Guardians of Ithrandar upon my chest, but I thank you, Hunter, for the use of your garments."

The Thunder ninja received the folded bundle with a nod, then asked out loud what the rest of the group was thinking.

"Can you beat him?"

Mithrandos gazed at the Wind and Thunder ninjas, Cam and Sensei. There was a flash of deep jade in his eyes before he said in a soft voice, "Everything before me is in shadows. I do not know what will happen when we meet on the battlefield. All I know is that I mustn't fail. There is no other option."

It was Tori who broke the gloomy atmosphere surrounding them all when she punched her fist into her hand a moment later. She nodded to them all in encouragement, determination in her eyes.

"All right, come on, guys. Let's do this!"

Mithrandos grasped Cam's wrist as the team hurried past him towards the exit. "The fair lady joins us in battle? There is grave peril ahead," he whispered urgently.

And despite the ominous task ahead, Cam cast him a grin weak. "Oh, don't worry, the _Lady Tori_ can hold her own in a fight, believe me."

Mithrandos' lips tightened and he cast a concerned look at Tori's back, but apparently decided that further protests would be useless.

"Very well, then. Let us make haste, ninjas."

_TBC…_


	8. Chapter 8

When they arrived at the scene of the chaos, they were greeted with empty streets and an eerie silence.

The anthracite mantle still hung above them, although the rain and the lightning had stopped. Burning and smoldering vehicles were scattered all around and smoke still curled from some of the damaged buildings, but Cam was glad to see that the area was otherwise deserted. Months of frequent raids from Lothor's monsters had instilled in the citizens of Blue Bay Harbor the ability to quickly clear the scene of an attack and consequently, the only evidence of life were abandoned cars and personal effects such as purses, briefcases or empty baby strollers lying in the streets.

Luthien was nowhere to be seen.

There was a sound behind him and Cam turned to see that Mithrandos had summoned his sword and was looking around intently in obvious search for the sorcerer. When their opponent didn't reveal himself after a long moment, the Guardian's gaze traveled higher, scrutinizing the ominous sky before he suddenly thrust his arm into the air and a beam of light pierced the gloom above. A moment later, a crack appeared and behind it, the bright azure of a normal California afternoon could be seen. Mithrandos kept his arm extended; no spells, no incantations, no magical gesticulation of any kind, only his silent ministrations as the beam of light from his hand quickly widened the rift. Only the slight narrowing of his eyes and a barely noticeable quivering in his arm indicated the effort it took the Guardian to reverse the effects of the dark magic. Suddenly the gap expanded, extending in all directions and shredding the soot-colored sky until, at last, untainted blue once more dominated the heavens above.

Cam had come up next to him. "Good job, man," the technician said approvingly, but Mithrandos shrugged it off, his eyes roaming around the area again, searching for his adversary. He looked down onto the sword he was grasping in a white-knuckled grip.

"Aid me, my friend. A tough battle lies ahead," he said to it in a voice not much louder than a whisper, then turned and walked right into the middle of the intersection where he stood for a moment before he raised his weapon.

"Come forth, Luthien! Show yourself!" he bellowed.

The reply was prompt. A cold gust of wind swept through the street, making the Guardian's and the ninjas' clothes and hair flutter. It was accompanied by a vibe Cam could only describe as evil and it coalesced around a city bus that had been run up on the sidewalk a few yards ahead of them. The wind changed into a black cloud and a moment later, the sorcerer Luthien was looking down on them from the top of the bus.

A sword was slung across his back, the hilt visible from behind his right shoulder. He made no move to draw it.

Maybe it was a trick of the eye, but the sorcerer's black-clad body seemed to be throbbing with the pulse of dark magic. He was smiling. It was not a likeable sight.

"Ah, Mithrandos," Luthien said. "I have missed you, my friend."

"Such a word from your mouth is a malediction indeed." Mithrandos' face and voice were stony.

This only seemed to amuse the wizard. His mouth still contorted into that humorless grin, he had his cold eyes fixed on the Guardian. "Many seasons have passed and yet you still amuse me."

"Savor it if you must, for it will not last."

Chuckling, Luthien stepped off the roof of the bus, floated gracefully to the ground and walked towards Mithrandos and the ninjas with an unhurried, casual gait. Broken glass crunched under his boots.

Mithrandos pointed his blade at him and the wizard came to a halt just out of the Guardian's sword range. Next to Mithrandos, Cam frowned at the cocksure arrogance of the sorcerer. Luthien pointedly ignored all but the blond warrior before him.

"I must admit, I am surprised to see you alive," he said, the hard smile curling in the corners of his mouth never wavering.

Mithrandos glowered at him. "Against your best intentions, Sorcerer."

Nonchalantly, Luthien crossed his arms before his chest. "Oh, come now. Will you hold against me what is in the past? We were at war then, but the battlefields of Ithrandar are far from here, therefore the old rules of chivalrous Guardian and Dark Sorcerer do not apply in this realm."

He cast a fleeting and condescending look at the glowering ninjas flanking the Guardian. "There is naught but human cattle here, this entire dimension is ripe for the picking. Do you not feel it? It would be so easy to rule it all!" Luthien took a step forward until his chest almost touched the tip of the Guardian's outstretched blade. His voice had taken on a silky, almost hypnotic quality.

"Think about it, Mithrandos; it could be between us as it has been in better times. Join with me, my friend, and together we shall be the superior rulers of this world. Trouble your mind no more with The Light; sever those tedious ties, for who needs The Light when we can have all this?" He spread his arms in emphasis, and his dark eyes bore into Mithrandos, willing him to agree.

Mithrandos spoke slowly and deliberately. "Have you been asleep so long that you have forgotten your mind tricks have no effect on me? I submit no longer to the poison of your voice."

The false warmth that shone in the sorcerer's eyes extinguished as if someone had thrown a switch and his handsome face contorted into a scowl.

"Very well, then. Out of courtesy and because of the times we once shared, I am giving you one chance for retreat," he growled. "Take your toothpick and be gone!"

In response, Mithrandos only shifted his sword to grip it in a two-handed attack position.

Luthien snorted and shook his head in mock-disappointment. "I did not think so. So be it, then!" He pointed to the Rangers, but kept his eyes on the Guardian. "After I have finished with you, I will dispose of them in a slow manner that will please the fool on his floating ship. And then, with all my obligations out of the way, the real delight of taking possession of this realm shall begin."

"If you think we're pushovers, you're wrong, freak," Shane cried, then cast a look at his team mates to his left and right and raised his wrist. "Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Ninja Storm!"

"Thunder Storm!"

"Samurai Storm!"

"RANGERFORM!"

"_NINJA RANGER POWER!_"

Mithrandos raised an eyebrow at the morphing display, but the Dark Sorcerer only snorted disdainfully at the Rangers.

"It concerns me not what vestments you wear; you will perish nevertheless," he said and drew his blade.

The Rangers did likewise, but before they could make any moves towards the sorcerer, Mithrandos held up a hand. Never breaking eye contact with his adversary, he said, "No, Rangers. For now I beg you to retreat. This is my battle."

"But..." came Shane's protest from behind him.

"You cannot protect them, you know," Luthien said, still infuriatingly calm

"We shall see about that."

The sorcerer moved so fast that the Rangers didn't see him take a step before he was already at Mithrandos. The Guardian, however, was prepared, for he had his sword up and the two blades crashed into each other with a fury that sent sparks flying from the impact.

Reluctantly adhering to Mithrandos' request, the Rangers retreated a few steps to watch from the sidelines. None were happy about that.

Two more simultaneous strikes locked the Guardian's and the sorcerer's swords together.

With their weapons pressed between them, Luthien was suddenly uncomfortably close and definitely near enough for Mithrandos to clearly overhear his words, spoken in a deliberately intimate voice.

"Tell me, Mithrandos," he drawled, "Does my mark upon your back still pain you? Does it keep you awake on your pallet in the darkest hours of the night? And when you lie there, sleepless, do you then recall other nights spent on pallets far from here - with me?" A cruel smirk accompanied his taunt.

The Guardian's green eyes blazed. "Those times are long gone, so save your breath for battle. You may have scarred my soul and my back, but I will let you scar neither again." Mithrandos made to retreat from the unwelcome closeness, but Luthien snatched his wrist in a lightning-quick move, casting a smug look at the plaited leather thong there.

"Then why do you still wear the bracelet?"

"It is a reminder of a task yet left to be done," Mithrandos growled. "To see you venture into the shadowlands." He jerked his wrist free and stepped back, breaking the blade-lock and resuming his two-handed grip on his sword. He swung it in a wide arch.

"I wish to know only one thing," he cried as their swords once again crossed. "Why? Why me?"

Luthien parried the strike. Steel screamed as the two blades ground against each other. "_You _were the one who befriended _me_, brother." He spoke the last word with such a snide inflection that it made Mithrandos' blood boil. "But even if it had not been you, it would have been another novice. And as it turned out, you were the perfect object for my practice in deception. You considered yourself so close to me yet you never detected the real me. And neither did anyone else." The sorcerer pushed the Guardian away, then chuckled as they circled each other warily. "And your willing body made for welcome distractions until my mission was concluded."

Mithrandos charged once more. With a wordless cry of rage he wielded his sword, then kicked Luthien hard in the side when his adversary blocked the move. Taken by surprise, the sorcerer stumbled.

Mithrandos' fist shot upwards and caught Luthien's jaw with a somewhat crooked yet powerful uppercut that had the evil wizard's head snapping sharply to the right. But before he could deliver a second punch, Luthien shoved him just far enough to get his hands in between them and summoned a blast of dark magic that sent Mithrandos reeling backwards several feet. Even as the Guardian hit the ground, he heard his enemy's cackle.

"Has the great captain of the Guardians reverted to brawling nowadays?" he jeered as Mithrandos scrambled back to his feet and raised his saber once more. Luthien did likewise, pointing his weapon at his former lover. "A mosquito's sting would do more damage."

The sorcerer brushed a hand across his mouth, his split lip healing right before Mithrandos' eyes and his mouth formed into an evil grin. "You were never good at lower forms of combat, Mithrandos."

"Let us try the higher form of combat, then!" the blond Guardian hissed and charged once more.

With the agility of a black panther Luthien sidestepped the thrust and brought his sword up. Mithrandos ducked under the slash, fended off another swipe, and promptly found himself close up to Luthien again. The reflection from Mithrandos' blade sent harsh lines across the wizard's face.

"It seems you have grown stronger since our last encounter, Guardian," the Dark Sorcerer said, "yet you forget a vital lesson of warfare: always expect the unexpected." With the last word barely past his lips, Luthien shook his wrist and Mithrandos' instincts barely had the time to register the brief flash of steel before the short blade previously concealed in the sleeve there already cut across his midsection. The sorcerer's eyes flashed victoriously at Mithrandos' sharp gasp of surprise. The Guardian stumbled backwards a few steps, a hand pressed against his stomach, but no gush of blood stained the slashed garment. Then Mithrandos raised his head, a defiant grin at the corners of his mouth. He lifted a flap of the cut material and Luthien's gaze turned incredulous at the sight of the chain mail rings beneath the tunic.

"You err," he said. "I have learned a few other things since last we fought, and especially to expect the unexpected."

"So I see," Luthien growled. "Yet you can clad yourself in all the enchanted chain mail in Ithrandar - you are still no match for me!"

A bright red glow began in the sorcerer's eyes and all of a sudden, Mithrandos felt himself being lifted off the ground by icy yet unseen hands. Evil energy of an intensity he had never experienced before surrounded him, overpowering his own magic defenses. He struggled against the invasion with both body and mind, but the dark energy was overwhelmingly strong. It all but incapacitated him and dismay warred with amazement inside him at the realization of just how powerful Luthien had grown since he joined the Evil Forces.

Suddenly Luthien's voice was in his mind. "Goodbye. Mithrandos."

A few yards away, the Rangers cried out in dismay when Mithrandos was hurled backwards in the direction of a store clear across the intersection. He hit the front facade with such force that the stone and mortar around him literally disintegrated. As he disappeared from view, Luthien's cackle reverberated through the air while the sorcerer raised both arms in a dramatic gesture. Immediately there was a rumble and the ground began to shudder.

With cries of distress the Rangers waved their arms to keep their balances. In frozen terror they watched as Luthien shot out a hand in the direction of the shop Mithrandos had been cast into. The building shook in response and only a moment later the two-story walls began to crumble, then collapse upon themselves.

In less than a minute, Luthien had reduced a formidable building into nothing but a pile of rubble with Mithrandos buried under dozens of feet of debris.

"NO!"

"Mithrandos!"

The Wind and Thunder Rangers and the Samurai Ranger turned to the Dark Wizard, anger, shock and disgust so apparent in their body language and the sounds of their voices that Luthien did not even need to see their faces.

"You'll pay for this!" Cam roared and charged at the sorcerer, Samurai Saber raised. The rest of the team followed on his heels and their battle cries reverberated off the buildings all around them.

Luthien didn't move a muscle, simply watched the oncoming attack with a mildly bemused expression. Cam was almost in striking distance before the black-clad wizard threw up his hands. "Insolent fools!"

The ensuing shockwave of energy not only stopped all the Rangers in mid-motion, but catapulted them backwards until they, too, crashed into a nearby building, in their case through the large panoramic window of a restaurant. And before any of them could get up, a wave of dark magic washed over them. With that wave came an agony that left them crying out and writhing in the debris until with a sudden burst of sparks, their Ranger uniforms disappeared.

Through blurred eyes, Cam saw Luthien standing on the sidewalk, looking in through the ruined window and his melodious baritone voice drifted towards them all.

"My quarrel is with the Guardian Mithrandos. I will have you children meddle in my affairs no longer."

And with that, the sorcerer thrust his hand out at the Ranger lying closest to him – which happened to be Hunter. The Thunder ninja was lifted up like a marionette on unseen strings. Hunter struggled, yet he couldn't manage to even bring up his arms. He seemed to be constricted by an invisible iron straitjacket.

"You puppies are not worth my time nor my sword," Luthien snarled and the look on his face was pure, undistilled hatred. "Nevertheless, I shall take you all on a slow voyage into the eternal shadowlands." He turned his dark gaze upon Hunter. "Beginning with you."

The others struggled to their feet, intent on coming to the helpless Thunder ninja's aid, but a wave from Luthien's sword stopped them all when tendrils of evil energy shot from the blade and snaked over their bodies. The pain brought them once again down to their knees, sapped the power from their bodies and left them gasping for breath.

An eerie gleam emanated from the black blade of Luthien's sword as he aimed it at Hunter, ready for the final thrust.

"HALT!"

The voice coming from the direction of the collapsed shop across the street was loud and strong. It made not only Luthien but also the six Rangers turn towards it.

The pile of fallen building material had moved and out of the wreckage rose Mithrandos, dirty, disheveled and breathing heavily, yet tall and proud, his sword still in his hand. Blood was trickling over his tattoo from a cut along his hairline, filling in the space between the dark swirls and spirals in a macabre, monochromic version of Paint-By-Numbers.

With his hair whipping around his head and his clothes billowing in the wind from the aftereffect of the gust of wind magic he had used to help free himself from the rubble, he kicked away a few more pieces of debris and staggered back into the street, the low sun casting a long pointed shadow before him.

The Dark Sorcerer dropped Hunter without a second glance and faced his blond opponent once again, the expression on his face a cross between a sneer and exasperation. "You are hard to kill. I am almost impressed, Guardian."

Mithrandos raised his sword and crackles of silver energy ran up and down the blade. "We are not finished yet, Sorcerer!"

Luthien lifted his own weapon, getting into ready stance once more. "Oh, but we will be. Soon."

On the other side of the intersection, the Ranger team – still weakened from the sorcerer's attack – staggered through the broken panoramic window just as saber and sword crossed again, steel kissing steel with an intensity their owners never would again. A cascade of sparks flew from the blades in a kaleidoscope of colors as the weapons of Good and Evil clashed against each other over and over again with such a fury and speed that none of the Rangers could follow the battle for more than a few moments before their heads began to spin.

"The blood of the innocent on your hands shall never dry!" Mithrandos yelled as he swung high.

"There are no innocent!" Luthien spat back, meeting the Guardian's blade at the apex of its arch with bone-jarring impact and for the next few minutes, downtown Blue Bay Harbor continued to echo with the sounds of clashing weapons, grunts of effort and wordless cries.

Back on the sidelines, Cam was getting worried; this battle had already been raging much longer than it should have and neither Mithrandos nor Luthien were gaining the upper hand. He was afraid, however, that eventually it would be Mithrandos who would wear out first. Physically they seemed equally strong, but the Dark Sorcerer obviously had the greater magic powers. And he was using them liberally, chipping away at Mithrandos' own magic reserves every time the Guardian had to use a defensive spell or a magic shield to ward off the sorcerer's attacks.

In cue with that thought, Luthien released another powerful surge of dark magic that had Mithrandos hurling through the air once again. The Guardian landed a yard from the ninjas, the breath leaving his lungs with an audible _whoosh_. The Rangers rushed to his side, Cam and Tori grasping his arms to steady him as he pulled himself back up. His eyes still blazed defiantly, but otherwise he was beginning to show the strain the battle was having on him. Breathing heavily and with sweat beading his pale forehead, he brandished his saber yet again, but his sword arm was shaking, the muscles protesting the prolonged exertion.

"This isn't working, Mithrandos," Tori said almost imploringly. "He's only wearing you down."

The Guardian gave her a tired look and for once he wasn't smiling at her. He knew she was right.

From across the intersection, Luthien was approaching. His gait was steady, unhurried, confident in his superiority.

Mithrandos turned to the Rangers, and he could not quite hide the disquiet showing in his eyes. "I require stronger magic to subdue him!"

"We could whip out the zords on that punk," Shane suggested, but Cam shook his head.

"No, he would probably just disable them with his magic." The technician cast a look at the black-clad figure drawing inexorably nearer, but it was Tori who drew his attention back with her next words.

"What about our elemental powers?" she asked, her eyes intent on Mithrandos' face. "Can you use them to enhance your own magic?"

The Guardian blinked in obvious uncertainty. "I know not. Never before had I the need to draw upon another's powers…"

"Tori's got a point," Cam said urgently. "You said yesterday that your magic comes from nature. So do our elemental energies. They could be compatible."

"I…"

Less than twenty yards from the little group, certain of impending victory, the evil sorcerer Luthien came to a halt. He sheathed his sword across his back, and when he raised both hands before him, magic flared up all around his body, bathing him in an aura of dark purple. Power of the same color crackled from his fists. Mithrandos straightened up, and to Cam's surprise, pushed his sword into the technician's hands before he quickly interposed his body in front of the Rangers. He obviously knew what was about to happen, but barely had the time to bring his own hands up before the sorcerer unleashed his ultimate attack.

"Time to end this!" Luthien roared and a thick purple beam of energy shot towards Mithrandos and the ninjas. Cam flinched unwillingly, saw his teammates do the same, but Mithrandos was already launching a counter-attack in form of an identical energy beam, only this one bright silver in color.

Good and evil magic clashed, power crackling wildly at the nexus point of the two beams. Purple and silver energy pushed against each other, wrestling for dominance.

Cam saw the strain in Mithrandos' face.

"Guys, we've got to help!"

Shane stepped into his line of vision, glaring at the sorcerer. "Would have been nice to get a trial run first, but oh well…" The Air ninja exchanged quick glances with his team. All were nodding determinedly. "Let's do this!"

Wrists and samurai amulet raised in unison, they morphed, forgoing the usual theatrics in favor of speed, then positioned themselves in a tight semi-circle behind Mithrandos with all of their hands in physical contact somewhere on the Guardian's body: on his shoulders, his upper arms, his back, his waist.

Every touch enabled Mithrandos to draw upon the Rangers' powers, and as he did so, the bright silver of his energy beam slowly colored with tones of red, green, yellow and blue.

Mithrandos gritted his teeth against the dizzying sensation from the sudden energy boost, willing his mind to focus only on the magic surging from his hands.

The rainbow-colored beam thickened, growing in force, and with grim satisfaction, Mithrandos saw Luthien stagger back a step, the sorcerer's arms beginning to quiver. Inch by inch, his deep purple beam retracted, swallowed up by the Guardian's increasing magic. Their eyes met over the beams and Mithrandos saw the cockiness in the Dark Wizard's eyes falter, changing to something resembling uncertainty.

"What is this trickery?" Luthien snarled. "_Mithrandos!_"

Mithrandos did not bother with a reply. Focusing on channeling the ninjas' elemental energies into the beam was getting a bit easier now, but he had no idea how much longer his courageous friends could hold on. He also didn't know how much would be too much for them.

As if fate took that thought as its cue, the first of the Rangers behind him dropped down to one knee. One after the other, the Rangers' suits dematerialized from the power drain, yet the ninjas held on to him with dogged determination.

Mithrandos cast a worried look behind him. This had to stop _now_.

He refocused on his opponent and with a cry of 'Submit!' he summoned his last bit of remaining magic power from deep inside him. The energy beam - enhanced with _otherdimensional_ magic and _thisdimensional_ elemental powers - spiked, engulfing the Dark Sorcerer in a flare of bright light and his former lover's cry mingled with the sounds of the blood roaring in Mithrandos' ears.

He didn't remember stumbling, yet Mithrandos found himself on his knees, panting like he had just completed a marathon run. Behind him, the ninjas were on the ground as well, dazed and weak.

Tori was breathing as heavily as he was, Dustin was groaning and Hunter was trying to push himself up, but his arms did not support him.

A pang of guilt surged through the Guardian at the sight of his sapped friends, but he was glad to see them all alive.

His hands hurt, but he clutched the hilt of his sword and used it as a crutch to pull himself to his feet. Once upright he swayed, blinking rapidly to shake off a sudden bout of dizziness and to get a clear view of his fallen foe.

Several yards ahead, Luthien lay on his back, but was already stirring again.

There was no time to lose. He had to get to the sorcerer before Luthien could regain enough of his senses to attack again. Mithrandos moved, staggering like a drunken man, but relentlessly forward. Once he fell to his knees, but scrambled back up again at once, willing the last bit of speed out of his body until he reached the wizard at last. He dropped to his knees next to Luthien's head just as the sorcerer's eyes began to flutter. Quickly he reached into his pouch, pulling out the crystal he needed for the task ahead. This one was wrapped in a swath of black cloth, but even through the dark material, a faint shine could be seen.

Luthien groaned and opened his eyes which fixed immediately on Mithrandos.

"You cannot slay me," he rasped and the words, albeit spoken with obvious effort, were defiant.

Mithrandos returned the stare and his expression was unreadable. "I am aware of that. Yet even if I could, I would not. Unlike you, I do not slay fallen men."

Luthien barked a weak laugh. "So now what? You do not possess the magic necessary for that cursed sleep!"

Mithrandos only regarded him coolly. "Oh, but I do." He uncovered the crystal, and Luthien's eyes fell onto the brightly pulsing gem. A look of bewilderment came into his eyes before it changed to one of ominous anticipation.

"No, Mithrandos, wait, we can still..." He reached out, intend on touching Mithrandos' cheek in a last ditch effort, but the Guardian snatched the outstretched hand by the wrist. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on his adversary, green orbs cold and hard.

"Never shall you touch me again, Sorcerer!" And before Luthien had a chance to say any more, he thrust the crystal against his former lover's forehead. It shattered on impact and immediately a flood of incandescent light covered the sorcerer's body. Mithrandos saw him stiffen, then relax and when the light dissipated, Luthien's eyes were closed and an almost tranquil expression was now on his slack face. Mithrandos let out the breath he had held in tense expectation. The High Wizards of The Light had provided him with this special crystal that held within it the concentrated Spell of Inertia needed to once again put the sorcerer under the charmed slumber. But none of the wizards had been able to assure him beyond any doubt that the crystal would be effective, since the use of a gem to 'store' a spell was a heretofore untried thing.

Thankfully, it had worked and the Guardian slumped down besides his incapacitated foe, the last bit of lingering adrenaline finally draining out of him.

"Stay where you belong," Mithrandos whispered. "In my memories."

_TBC…_


	9. Chapter 9

'_No! It can't be!'_ Lothor stared at the screen before him where the guy in white had just successfully defeated his newfound ally. Incredulity, dismay and wrath surged in him until he was literally trembling with rage.

'_Another plan to take over Earth down the drain!'_ He balled his fists so tightly that the black leather of his gloves strained over the covered skin.

"I...don't...believe...this!" In sore need to release his pent-up anger, the evil space ninja grabbed the first thing within reaching distance - which happened to be a kelzak - and slammed the drone clear across the room and into the far bulkhead of the ship's bridge. Then he turned and fixed the small ensemble cowering behind him with a smoldering glare.

"Why are you all standing there like someone just ran over your dog? Go down there and get them! They're weak now, this is our chance!"

Chooboo peeked out from behind Zurgane's shoulder. "Uhmmm...can we draw straws for that?"

"Yeah, I really don't think it's a good idea to get anywhere close to the guy in the white PJ's, Uncle," Kapri added.

Lothor's bellow reverberated off the walls of the bridge. "ARE YOU REFUSING MY ORDERS?"

His evil space ninja team huddled together even closer than they already were.

"But, Uncle," Marah piped up warily, "he just defeated Dreamb...I mean the Dark Sorcerer, and that guy was, like, the most powerful evil villain we've ever seen!"

"I don't believe this! What a bunch of cowards!" Lothor's stare was daggers laced with poison.

"Well - why don't you go?" Kapri suggested.

"_Me?_" the evil ninja spluttered. "I can't go! I have a ship to run, things to do up here, important things...Besides, that's what I have _you all_ for! Zurgane!"

Zurgane flinched, and gesticulated wildly at nothing or no one in particular. "Sir, I am overseeing the kelzak ship-cleaning committee! They cannot function without strict supervision."

"Chooboo!"

"Uh...ah...my lunch hour started three minutes ago. Sorry! I've already punched out for it, too. See?" The green alien held up an employee time card in emphasis.

"Shimatsu!"

The addressed general all but went into a crouch, holding up his hands imploringly. "Master, as much as I would love to be of service, but I have a soufflé in the oven and you know how it is with soufflés - if you don't watch them constantly and take them out just at the right time..."

"AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!"

**_Aftermath…_**

The sounds of multiple boot steps behind him prompted Mithrandos to look up from Luthien's slack-jawed countenance. A moment later, the ninjas were gathered around him.

"Mith!"

"What's going on? Is he...?"

The Guardian caught Cam's gaze when the technician crouched down beside him. "Yes, the danger has passed. He is once again under the spell of the enchanted slumber."

Cam watched as Mithrandos took Luthien's sword, converted it to its crystal form and tucked it into his pouch. The Guardian looked weary, both in body and mind, yet he gave them all a broad smile across Luthien's body. "I could not have defeated him without your aid. There are no adequate words for my gratitude, my friends."

"Yeah, well, don't worry about it," Shane declared for the rest of the team. "I'm just glad it was enough to put the creep back to sleep."

"We better clear out of here, though," Blake said. "Get him back in the box before Lothor decides to show up."

"Yes." Mithrandos agreed. "Let us make haste, Rangers."

Carrying Luthien between them, Shane and Hunter streaked from the battle site, followed by Tori, Blake and Dustin.

"Do you want a ride," Cam asked Mithrandos, "or do you remember how to get back to the sarcophagus?"

"Thank you, but I will make my own way to the forest clearing," Mithrandos said. "I shall see you there shortly."

Cam simply nodded and was gone in a flash of green a second later. Mithrandos took one long, rueful look around ravaged downtown Blue Bay Harbor and sighed before he dematerialized, leaving behind a quickly dissipating dusting of silver sparks.

Hunter and Shane were just putting the sorcerer's body inside the sarcophagus when Mithrandos arrived at the glade. The Guardian looked down onto the prone figure, now back in his rightful place. "Until next time, Luthien," he mumbled, then held his hand over the lock and summoned the spell that activated the magical force field across the sorcerer's side of the sarcophagus.

On the far side of the crate, Dustin had apparently caught his second wind. "Dude, can I just tell you that that battle was wicked sick!" he exclaimed, grinning at the blond warrior. "Luke Skywalker has _nothing_ on you, man!"

Mithrandos cocked his head. "Who?"

Explanations were cut short when Cam came up beside him. "I'm going to head to Ops. I can teleport the sarcophagus into the Zord Bay from there, since that would be the safest location for it for now. That way we all have some time to get cleaned up, and I also want to go over the energy beam calculations one more time before we try to send you back."

Mithrandos nodded in consent, and after the Green Ranger had streaked from the clearing, the Guardian regarded the rest of the assembled Ranger team with obvious approval. "You have mastered this storm with uncanny bravado, my friends," he said, clasping Shane's shoulder who happened to stand closest to him.

"Hey, storms are our specialty," the Red Ranger grinned.

The sarcophagus began to shimmer, then disappear. The ninjas took that as their cue and filed out of the forest clearing, heading back to their headquarters at a leisurely gait. The Wind ninjas led the way, the Thunder ninjas brought up the rear.

"I wish to compliment you on your bravery in battle, Milady," Mithrandos said, falling into step with Tori. "Your courage was truly exemplary. And may I also say that blue is a very becoming color for you..."

Only a few steps behind them, Blake stared at the backs of the Water ninja and the Ithrandarian Guardian, trying hard not to let the stare disintegrate into a glare when suddenly Hunter's low voice sounded from right beside him.

"You're glad he's leaving soon, aren't you?"

Blake cast his brother a side-glance and saw him grin when he took just a fraction too long before he protested, "What? No, 'course not, I mean…"

"Dude, please. This is me you're talking to." Hunter wasn't deterred when Blake didn't reply. "He's getting you worried, isn't he, bro?"

"I'm not worried."

Hunter just gave his brother a wry look from under a raised eyebrow until Blake rolled his eyes.

"All right, yes! I mean…The way Tori looks at this guy...She keeps on blushing, man, _blushing_!"

"Yeah, so?"

"So?" Blake snapped, "In all the months I've known her, she's never blushed, Hunter. And now she blushes at him."

Hunter scratched his neck in apparent contemplation. "Well, he's handsome, he's gallant, he talks like the elf-guy from the Lord of the Rings movies – girls dig that, man." He shrugged. "And what's the big deal about the whole blushing-thing anyways?"

Blake kicked at a small rock on the ground. "I just don't want her to blush at _him_," he said. The rock landed in a nearby bush. "I want her to blush at _me_," he added in a small voice.

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere!" Hunter flashed his patented lopsided grin. "You know, you could make this whole thing so much easier on yourself." That earned him another dark look from the shorter Bradley.

"And just how, exactly? Grow my hair long and study Middle-Earth speech?"

The Crimson Ranger grimaced. "God, no. You would probably look ridiculous with long hair – but finally asking Tori out on a formal date sometime before the end of this century would be a good start." He put his hand on Blake's shoulder when the Navy Ranger gave an audible sigh. "C'mon, Blake. It's not like it would surprise anyone. Everybody already knows that you two are into each other."

Blake looked away from his big brother and up into an afternoon sky as blue as Tori's eyes. He thought for a long moment, then nodded to himself and faced Hunter once more.

"All right, maybe you've got a point. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna ask her out!"

"Right on, bro!" Hunter slapped him affectionately between the shoulder blades. "Courage, my man. It'll pay off. You'll see."

Blake only let out another deep sigh.

_**Farewells…**_

With Luthien safely stored in the Zord Bay, the Rangers and Mithrandos finally had the opportunity to sit back and decompress from the events of the past few hours. It was quickly decided that showering and resting to replenish their zapped energies were the top two spots on the To-Do list and all the non-resident Rangers headed out to their respective homes with promises to return again first thing in the morning.

Mithrandos politely declined Cam's offer of Ninja Ops' shower and instead washed off the grime of battle with a bath in the pond by the holographic entrance. That night, for the first time since his arrival on Earth, Mithrandos slept.

When the Rangers returned to Ops the next day, the Guardian was at the command center table, scrubbed and clad in a clean white uniform. On the table before him was one of several scrolls, undoubtedly provided by Sensei, and Mithrandos was busily filling the parchment with lines of tight, cursive writing.

"It is an account of the events that passed here," Mithrandos answered their quizzical gazes.

He reached for the scroll next to him, presenting it to Shane. Unrolled, it showed a pencil sketch of the six ninjas and Sensei Watanabe.

Shane was impressed. "Wow, this is beautiful. It looks just like us!"

Mithrandos acknowledged the compliment with a small smile. "I thought that not only your deeds but also your likenesses should be immortalized in the lore of Ithrandar."

Dustin elbowed Shane, his face split into a wide grin. "Dude, we're gonna be heroes in stories told to kids in another dimension. How cool is that?" He leaned towards Mithrandos conspiratorially and lowered his voice to a stage whisper. "Just make sure you put in there that the Yellow Ranger was the coolest one of all and saved, like, everyone from certain death."

The Great Yellow Ranger's teammates promptly retaliated with mock-outraged cries and a series of playful shoves and slaps.

Mithrandos laughed. "Well, the account has already been written, but I will make sure to point out your outstanding heroic deeds to the children whenever I _do_ recount the lore, Dustin."

At that moment, Cam came strolling towards them from the direction of the Supercomputer. "Well, all the preparations are made," he said. "All that's left is to teleport the sarcophagus back to its original spot and send out the zords. We can pretty much give this a shot whenever you're ready."

"I am," the Guardian said solemnly.

Hunter turned to Mithrandos. "You sure you don't want to hang around a few days longer?" he asked. "We could just leave _him_ -" he inclined his head towards the door leading towards the Zord Bay. "- down in the cave and be off to the moto track. I bet we could teach you to ride a 250 in no time."

Mithrandos smiled, but shook his head. "The offer is tempting, Hunter, but I am afraid it would be too perilous to remain here any longer than necessary. Lothor could make another attempt at freeing him once more. I cannot risk that.

"Besides, I am eager to return to my world," he added. "Albeit, good fate willing, my eyes will not look upon the familiar hills and valleys of my home for many more lifetimes yet to come."

The Guardian gathered up the scrolls and rose. His farewell from Sensei Watanabe took a few minutes due to repeated expressions of gratitude and multiple bows, but once ready, Cam initiated the teleportation of the sarcophagus and the seven warriors were off in multicolored streaks and silver sparkles.

Back at the glade, the stone crate was waiting in the exact spot of its arrival on Earth.

Mithrandos checked the seal across the sorcerer's side once more before he turned to Cam. "So…how do you plan to accomplish the feat of returning us to Ithrandar, Cam?"

Cam scratched the back of his neck. "Well, it won't be much use to get into the technical side of this, so let's just say that we are going to utilize the help of some mechanical friends to produce the amount of power necessary for your trip back.

"The chances are good that the beam will take you back to Ithrandar, but they're not a hundred percent," Cam felt the need to point out. Mithrandos, however, only looked at him for a moment, then shrugged.

"What is there ever, in life?" A quick, affectionate pat on the technician's shoulder later, he added, "I have known you but for a few days, yet I have come to respect your skills, son of Kanoi, both as a warrior and a man of the mind. Therefore, if you say that the chances are good your beam will take us back to our realm, I trust you."

Cam's expression turned awkward at the other-dimensional warrior's unexpected praise, but luckily for him the moment was cut short when Shane jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Speaking of our mechanical friends, by the way…Here comes the cavalry now."

Mithrandos turned with the rest of the team towards the direction of the approaching engine sounds – and promptly blanched when he saw what was coming to a halt between and above the tree trunks at the edge of the clearing. His hand reflexively went towards the pouch on his belt.

"Don't worry," Cam reassured him. "They're on our side."

Eyes wide and mouth open, Mithrandos stared in disbelief at the half dozen huge, color-coordinated machines. "By the magic of The Light," he stammered. "What are these…_things_?"

Next to him, Hunter folded his arms across his chest, grinning at the utter astonishment on the usually so composed Guardian's face. "Actually, they'll be one _really big thing_ in a minute," he said. "Watch."

In cue with that last word, the six zords began to rearrange themselves, maneuvering around each other, detaching pieces and attaching others, until they had formed what Mithrandos recognized as a humanoid form, at least as far as a torso, two legs, two arms and a head were concerned. Nevertheless, it was so alien-looking to him, not to mention so intimidating in its enormousness, that he was not embarrassed at the instinctive anxiety this thing evoked in him. He knew it showed on his face, yet he could do nothing about it. Not as long as he was staring up at this giant.

"We call it the Hurricane Megazord. A robotic machine that aids us in fighting Lothor's monsters. It is the only device powerful enough on this world to generate the energy beam needed to send you back home," Cam explained and the technician's assertion soothed the blond warrior's disquiet somewhat.

Dustin came abreast Mithrandos, and with his hands on his hips, the Earth ninja looked up at the huge machine with obvious pride. "See it as our trusty metal pet. You have pets in your world, don't you?"

Mithrandos pointedly looked at Dustin, then back at the Megazord. "_I_ had a pet squirrel once."

Dustin grinned. "Welcome to our world."

Still staring at the mountain of multi-colored steel, Mithrandos said, "It will take much thought before I can even begin to find the words for my journal that will suitably describe _this_ magic."

Cam didn't even bother to correct him anymore.

When the Guardian managed to finally tear his gaze away from the Megazord, he looked thoughtful for a long moment before he faced his six friends. "Ninjas, you have rendered me a great service," he said. "Too great to ever be properly repaid, I fear."

Shane waved it off. "Don't worry about it, man." The others seconded him by means of nods and similar gestures.

"But I do!" Mithrandos reached inside his pouch and brought forth a smaller leather sac. From it he shook something into his cupped hand. When he approached the Rangers, a glow could be seen emanating from his palm. Solemnly, almost ceremoniously, he pressed something resembling a bright pebble into each ninja's hand.

It took Cam a moment, but once he recognized what he was holding, his eyebrows climbed up to his hairline; it was an expression that was pretty much mirrored by the Wind and Thunder Rangers as well.

In his palm lay a pyramid-shaped gem the size of a small marble. The sunlight reflected off its clear, crystalline surface with such brilliance that it seemed to bathe his hand in multi-prizmed light up to the wrist.

"Ithrandarian diamonds," Mithrandos elaborated. "The Guardians use them to enhance the strength of their blades by inserting them into the hilt of their weapons. The power boost is temporary, but very effective. I had no use for them during the battle, for they would not have made a difference in Luthien's case; it would have been like throwing pebbles at a dragon." Mithrandos paused. "I am aware that it is a pathetically inadequate token for your invaluable aid, but I am afraid it is all I have to offer." He shrugged. "I traveled light, you see?"

"Dude…this is way too precious. We can't take those!" Shane protested, but Mithrandos was steadfast.

"I insist." He then gave them all a sad smile. "Although the task was grim, I have spent a joyful time among you, my friends. I believe I shall miss you all."

He then turned to Cam. "Cam, I would ask you to render me one last service."

"Sure."

The Guardian produced a glowing crystal from his pouch. "Take this. Within it is contained the sleep spell of The Light intended for me. It will revert my body and mind back into the charmed slumber I crave. Once the spell has been cast, the magic seal across the sarcophagus will then extend to my side."

The technician nodded as he received the crystal from Mithrandos. An almost awkward moment of silence followed, now that the actual moment of leave-taking had arrived.

Cam broke it when he turned and addressed his friends. "All right, you guys power up the Megazord," he said in a quiet but firm voice. "I'll be there in a minute,"

Tori took a step towards Mithrandos. "It was nice knowing you," she said almost shyly.

Mithrandos smiled fondly as he reached for her hand. "And you, Milady! I shall make sure that the loremasters of Ithrandar sing praise of your bravery in battle." He kissed the back of her hand, then stepped back and bowed to her. "Farewell!"

Cheeks coloring yet again, Tori smiled and inclined her head in return, but said nothing further.

Dustin cracked a smile and put his hand to his head in a two-fingered salute. "Take care, Mith." He was echoed by several other voices.

"See ya, buddy."

"So long."

"It's been real, man."

Mithrandos bowed formally to them all, and a small grin played around the corners of his mouth when he straightened up. "Fare well...dudes."

The ninjas raised their wrists in unison to morph, waved one last time, then disappeared in multi-colored streaks into the Megazord.

Cam was the solitary member of the team staying behind. When he turned towards Mithrandos, he found him already standing inside the sarcophagus, gazing down at Luthien's sleeping form once more.

"In sleep he is beauty personified, but awake he is a menace unfathomable," the Guardian said quietly.

Cam couldn't help but think back on the conversation they had had in the woods a few nights ago as he regarded Mithrandos. "You...still do love him, then?"

Mithrandos inhaled, holding his breath while he closed his eyes in apparent contemplation, then let it out in one long exhalation. When he did open his eyes, they were on Cam. "It is not love I feel for him any longer. However, our destinies are inextricably entwined. We are bound together until he ceases to exist and frees me thus from my oath. I am a Guardian of The Light, he is the very evil that threatens all I stand for." Mithrandos finished his summary with a shrug – and suddenly Cam understood.

"It's almost like he defined the meaning of your life."

Mithrandos' expression softened and his lips changed into a tiny smile. "So you understand. I would have thought thus from you," he said while he cast Cam an approving look. "I shall miss you, my friend. We may be from different realms, yet we are not so unalike. We both have our burdens to carry, and we both tread strange paths full of peril for the safekeeping of our worlds."

Mithrandos reached out and clasped both of Cam's wrists in what Cam assumed was a customary farewell gesture in Ithrandar, so the samurai clasped the Guardian's as well.

"Fare well, Cam son of Kanoi," Mithrandos said gravely. "The time of our parting is at hand. Spirits willing, we will not meet again, but be assured that memories of you and yours will forever be cherished in my mind. Ithrandar shall know the names of the Power Rangers and the lore of their courageous deeds. I will make sure of that."

He pressed Cam's wrists and Cam returned the gesture before they broke apart and Mithrandos settled himself inside the sarcophagus.

Cam lowered himself onto one knee besides the crate. Having witnessed from afar how Mithrandos had smashed the first crystal against Luthien's forehead yesterday, he needed no further instructions in the use of the one he was currently gripping.

The Guardian closed his eyes, folded his hands across his chest and let out a deep breath. Cam took that as his cue.

"Sweet dreams, Mithrandos," he said just before he shattered the gem against the pale forehead. Warm light washed over the Guardian and Mithrandos' body relaxed into the magically induced sleep.

The force field sizzled, then began to spread until it encompassed the entire width of the double sarcophagus. Cam watched for a moment longer before he slowly rose.

"Sleep well together," he said in a low voice, then turned to join his comrades waiting in the Hurricane Megazord.

_**The send-off…**_

Cam hadn't even fully sat down in his cockpit seat yet when Dustin's helmeted head flickered onto his video screen. The Yellow Ranger was holding his diamond between two gloved fingers, and it didn't take much imagination for Cam to picture his teammate's excited expression behind the darkened visor.

"Dude, I seriously think Mithrandos just made us all millionaires!"

The sentiment was repeated in various forms by the other Rangers, but for some reason, Cam couldn't seem to find it within himself to join the ebullient chatter. He instead called up the uploaded algorithm for the reverse energy beam on his screen and initiated the power-up sequence.

"All right, girls, put your best friends away for now and let's focus on the task at hand," he ordered and was actually surprised when no mock-exasperated replies came in return

"Yo Cam, you sure this is going to get him back to the _right_ destination?" Blake wanted to know.

"According to the computer, it should. All this -" the technician indicated the rows of mathematical formulas on their zord screens. "– rides on precision. So because we have put the sarcophagus back in the exact same spot from its original impact point, it should logically be transported back to the exact same spot it disappeared from back in Ithrandar."

"And if not?"

Cam rolled his eyes. _Of course Shane had to play devil's advocate. _

"Well, I guess worst case scenario is that Mith is stuck here for the rest of his life and we'll have that Darth Vader impersonation sleeping in the Zord Bay for the next two hundred and fifty years," he answered.

Wisely, no one mentioned the other alternative of complete molecular incineration.

"Hey, it might be fun having Mith stay here," Dustin's voice came across the comm. system. "He could be the White Ranger if we ever get our hands on another morpher."

Someone snickered, but the only thing that came into Cam's mind was that, should that come to be the case, Ninja Ops would be mighty crowded in the future.

The digital display gauge was steadily climbing towards the target number. Before long, the Megazord's entire structure began to shake from the effect of containing a heretofore unprecedented amount of energy within it. Soon, the Rangers were bouncing in their seats with the increasing vibrations.

"Uh, Cam..."

"Almost there, guys," Cam cried. "Get ready."

Just when the Green Samurai Ranger was getting seriously worried about the structural integrity of their battle robot, the LED display suddenly began to flash in bright red numbers. _Target number achieved._

"Now!"

Six hands simultaneously pressed their consoles' laser buttons, and from the chest of the Hurricane Megazord shot a multicolored energy beam of a girth they had never witnessed before. The recoil from the volley would have knocked the huge robot backwards if Cam had not had the presence of mind to have it hold on to the sturdy trees flanking it on both sides.

The stone crate and everything in its immediate vicinity erupted in a flash of such incandescent brightness that even behind their visors, the Rangers were forced to squint. The moment he could see enough to make out the console before him once again, Cam initiated a scan of the impact area.

"Did it work, Cam?" came Shane's urgent voice through the helmet comm link.

For once Cam was glad he couldn't retract his visor. At least he didn't have to worry about the doubt on his face. As long as he _sounded_ confident, kept the uncertainty out of his voice, he could make the others believe that he was sure the beam had worked and Mithrandos was by now safely back in Ithrandar. "Yeah, I think it did," he said, his eyes glued to the readout of the perimeter scan.

_God, please let it be true!_

"Let's get down there and check," Hunter suggested and Cam didn't protest. Readout or no, he needed to convince himself with his own eyes as well.

They touched down a few yards from the Megazord and together they warily approached the transport site, demorphing along the way.

The sarcophagus had vanished along with every rock and piece of shrubbery around it. Cam scanned the ground carefully with his eyes. The others did likewise.

"Well, there's no debris," he said after a long moment. "That's a good thing."

"Yeah, but still…how do we know it actually worked?" Dustin asked somberly. "It's not like he can send us an 'all is well' card from Ithrandar."

Cam stared at the bare spot of earth before he answered in a low voice, "We don't."

He looked up and saw the Rangers looking back at him. He could offer them no reassurance. All he could do was stare back at his friends and the expressions on the Wind and Thunder ninjas' faces all said the same thing. _'Let's hope it worked.'_

The six teens stood unmoving, staring, remembering – and hoping – for another long minute before they finally turned and made their way slowly through the forest and back to Ninja Ops.

_**TBC…**_


	10. Chapter 10

_Epilogue_

Darkness. Silence. Blessed oblivion.

And suddenly it all changed.

Black turned to grey, sounds - subtle in reality but loud to his ears - shattered the silence.

_Oh no! Not again!_

Mithrandos' eyes flew open, but the rest of his body was slow - too slow - to respond.

_No, wait! A feeling - no danger!_

Mithrandos blinked a few times, but all he could see were the dark beams of a domed wooden ceiling high above him. Then suddenly something moved in the periphery of his vision. A head came into view. He flinched.

"Milord..."

The cautious voice belonged to a young man with a round, homely face. He was dressed in white, a blessedly familiar tattoo visible just above his brow.

Mithrandos exhaled. He made it! Cam's plan had worked. He was back in Ithrandar!

_May The Light bless you, my friends. Thank you._

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words formed. He cleared his throat. _How long had he been asleep?_

The stranger spoke for him. "Do not worry, Milord," he said, bending over the edge of the sarcophagus slightly. "It was not danger that awoke you."

Mithrandos finally found his voice. "Wh...What...?"

But the young Guardian was already babbling. "My lord Mithrandos, that I may be a witness to this historical moment is an honor unreckoned, such an honor! My friends will not believe it when I shall tell them..."

_Historical moment? The Dark Sorcerer! Could it be...?_

The young Guardian's waterfall of words stopped abruptly and he jumped back as Mithrandos scrambled to his knees and leaned over the stone divider to peer into the other half of the sarcophagus.

The sight of the shrunken body and deeply wrinkled face of an ancient man formed a lead weight in his chest. There was no need to check for any respiration in that hull before him.

The spell had held - Luthien had finally expired at the end of his one-thousandth season of life. Mithrandos took a deep breath and the weight in his chest dissolved slowly; it was done, the sorcerer was dead.

The young Guardian had come around the side of the stone crate and was now also peering down onto the dead body of Luthien son of Deshaara, Queen of the Evil Powers.

"When did it happen?" Mithrandos asked without raising his eyes from the white-haired head.

"Just a few minutes ago, sire," the young man reported eagerly. "All the Guardians on Tower duty have been instructed to be especially watchful lately, for the High Wizards predicted that the Dark Sorcerer's demise was very close at hand, but to have it happen on _my_ watch..."

"What era is this?"

The Guardian blinked. "Ah…this is the era of The Light two hundred and forty-three, Milord Captain."

Mithrandos did a quick calculation in his head. Yes, the timeline was in accordance to when the High Wizards of his era predicted he would be waking up if all went well. And now that time had finally arrived. His task was completed at last!

And then another thought suddenly set in, one that promptly made the imaginary weight in his chest reappear: His friends - his friends in the other dimension were long gone.

Mithrandos hoped with all his heart that their lives had come to good and peaceful ends. He made a silent vow to assure their immortality in the form of several scrolls in the history lores of Ithrandar. He would have muttered a quick prayer for them, too, but across from him, the Guardian was now resuming his chatter.

"I am the sole Guardian on sentinel duty this morning, so no one knows about your awakening and the sorcerer's demise yet. I was about to report the joyous news to my superiors, but I simply could not leave before assuring myself that you were well. I hope you did not mind…"

Mithrandos gave him a slight smile. "No. I thank you for your thoughtfulness, Brother Guardian."

The young man blushed at the companionable address, then scrambled to come to the captain's aid when Mithrandos attempted to stand. The blond warrior swayed for an instant, his equilibrium still slightly off from the long sleep, so he accepted the Guardian's arm while he stepped out of the sarcophagus. And for the first time he took a closer look at his surroundings; the room with its round stone walls, narrow windows and torches in sconces along the walls was immediately familiar to him and it told him that his one thousand season long journey had ended exactly where it had begun – in the Guardian Tower of the temple of The Light in Ithrandar.

Only about two hundred and fifty years later.

The brief dizziness faded and Mithrandos straightened up, patting his fellow Guardian's shoulder.

"I value your concern for my well-being, Brother, but maybe you should be going now to make your report," he said. "We would not want to keep the exalted High Wizards waiting for...the news."

The Guardian's head bobbed. "Yes, yes, of course." He shot out of the room and was already on the stairway when he must have remembered his manners, for his head appeared back in the doorway a moment later to give the captain a hasty bow. "Please excuse me, Milord."

Then he was gone and Mithrandos exhaled into the sudden stillness, feeling a little guilty.

There really hadn't been a need to send the young man off quite _that_ quickly, but the truth was that Mithrandos wanted a few moments alone. With his thoughts – and with Luthien.

He went down on one bent knee beside the stone crate to gaze upon the sorcerer's dead body once more, and before long he began to speak softly. "Fare well, Luthien. My bane you were for one thousand seasons, but now my oath is fulfilled and I am free from you at last." Mithrandos paused, swallowing against the sudden lump in his throat when, against his will, his eyes began to burn. "I know there is no use in wondering and feeling sorrow for what could have been, for it never came to be. But what I would not give to be able to change history and have us end our seasons together as I had dreamed so long ago. Yet this magic feat no one can do."

He bowed his head and a single tear escaped his eye, but before more could fall, Mithrandos rose up, squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.

"No more weaknesses," he whispered into the solitude of the chamber.

Through the narrow arched window, the bright rays of the new dawn filtered into the room.

A new day – a new beginning.

And the High Wizards would be here any moment now. There was much to tell.

THE END

* * *

_A/N: And thus comes to an end the story of Mithrandos and Luthien. Or does it?_

_No! The first part of the sequel is already posted on www . fictionpress . com / mzdany _

_if anyone is interested in finding out what happens next…_

_A heartfelt THANK YOU to my wonderful beta-reader Camille who is never too busy to read through my stuff, even if she is ;) Your nits and encouragements mean a lot to me! _

_And **thank you** to everyone who has read and reviewed this story, although it's been quite a bit different from the stories I usually write. Thanks for hanging in there with me! _

_I hope you have all enjoyed this story and will enjoy the sequels as well._

_Greetings from Dany_


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